UC-NRLF 
 
 B 3 12b 57M 
 
 LO 
 
 C\J 
 
 Q 
 >- 
 
ri^ mmK 
 
 /■'Y fv I ,•■, 
 
 <3x 
 
 
 
 $/ 4 
 
 ts: 
 
 
 a 
 

 
 ctcc 
 
 rrv. ^^vicr etc 
 
 
 
 
 feX, 
 
 cc c^cc 
 
 
 1^ N^ 
 

 If./V 
 
 <=^^ 
 
Digitized by the Internet Archive 
 
 in 2008 with funding from 
 
 IVIicrosoft Corporation 
 
 http://www.archive.org/details/bookeoffishingwiOOmascrich 
 
A BOOKE OF FISHING 
 
 Mitb llJooke anb Xine 
 
 MADE BY L.[EONARD] M.[ASCALL] 
 
 REPRINTED FROM THE EDITION 
 
 OF 1590 
 
 WITH PREFACE AND GLOSSARY 
 
 BY 
 
 THOMAS SATCHELL 
 
 Printed for 
 
 W. SATCHELL AND CO. 
 
 19, Tavistock Street 
 
 And sold by 
 
 SIMPKIN, MARSHALL, AND CO. 
 
 Stationers' Hall Court 
 
 LONDON 
 
LONDON : 
 
 R. Clay, Sons, and Taylor, 
 
 BREAD STREET HILL. 
 
M5^ 
 
 PREFACE. 
 
 The little black-letter volume here reprinted is very rare. Most of the copies 
 which remain are now preserved in great libraries, and I am not aware that any 
 example has been offered for sale for many years past. 
 
 The full title is as follows : " A Booke of fishing with Hooke & Line, and 
 of all other instruments thereunto belonging. Another of sundrie Engines and 
 Trapps to take Polecats, Buzards, Rattes, Mice and all other Kindes of Vermine 
 and Beasts whatsoever, most profitable for all Warriners, and such as delight in 
 this kinde of sport and pastime. Made by L. M. [Woodcut.] London Printed by 
 John Wolfe, and are to be solde by Edwarde White dwelling at the little North 
 doore of Paules at the sign of the Gunne. 1590-" The first part ends with 
 page 50. The second part has a fresh title-page, with a repetition of the woodcut. 
 The pagination is continuous throughout. There are editions dated 1596, 1600, 
 and 1606, but I have not had an opportunity of examining them. This "Booke 
 of fishing with Hooke and Line " is a compilation made by a practical angler from 
 the "Treatyse of fyshynge wyth an angle," from " L'agriculture et maison 
 rustique" of Charles Estienne and other sources. The compiler, generally 
 believed to be Leonard Mascall, has omitted the introductory portion of the 
 "Treatyse," and some other- paragraphs, but, with the exception of some 
 corrections and additions, he has left the instructions as he found them. 
 
 064 
 
iv Preface. 
 
 The book is divided into 87 short chapters with headings similar to those 
 used in the earUer form of the "Treatyse," and as these headings furnish a 
 conspectus of the contents of the volume, and will facilitate a reference to it, 
 they are here gathered together. 
 
 PAGE 
 
 (1) First the knowledge of angling with the Hooke and Lyne ... i 
 
 (2) What times best to angle 2 
 
 (3) In what wether to angle in 2 
 
 (4) Of twelue lets in taking fish 3 
 
 (5) To take the salmon 3 
 
 (6) For the Troute 3 
 
 (7) For the Grayling 4 
 
 (8) For the Barbyll 5 
 
 (9) The Carpe J 
 
 (10) The Cheuyn 6 
 
 (11) The Breame 7 
 
 (12) The Tench 7 
 
 (13) TotakePearch 8 
 
 (14) The Roche 8 
 
 (is) The Dace g 
 
 (16) The Bleke p 
 
 (17) The Ruffe p 
 
 (18) The Flounder JO 
 
 (19) The Googing 10 
 
 ((16) The Menow lo 
 
 (21) TheYdele 11 
 
 (22) The Pyke Ji 
 
 (23) The Loch, and the Millers thumbe 12 
 
 (24) The manner of feeding and preseruing your quicke baites ... 12 
 
 (25) Baites to last all the yeare 13 
 
 (26) Another 13 
 
 (27) Baites for great fishe 14 
 
 (28) Of twelue Kindes of made Flies to angle, for the trout, in 
 
 Sommer with other fishe 14 
 
Preface. 
 
 PAGE 
 
 (29) First for the dunne Fly 7^ 
 
 (30) The stone Fly /^ 
 
 (31) The ruddy Fly 75 
 
 (32) The yellow Fly 75 
 
 (33) The blacke Fly 7j 
 
 (34) The sad yellow Fly 7j 
 
 (35) The More Fly 13 
 
 (36) The tawmy Fly 16 
 
 (37) The waspe Fly 16 
 
 (38) The shell Fly 16 
 
 (39) The darke or drake Fly 16 
 
 (40) Here followeth how to couller your lines, to angle with 16 
 
 (41) To make yellow haire 17 
 
 (42) To make a russet // 
 
 (43) To make a brown couler 18 
 
 (44) To make a tawny haire 18 
 
 (45) Lines fit for each water 18 
 
 (46) Anglers and fishers 19 
 
 (47) To order the red worme 19 
 
 (48) Here followeth how to make your hookes 20 
 
 (49) How must y^e know your hookes, how to angle for everie kinde 
 
 of fishe 21 
 
 (50) To know how to plumbe your line 21 
 
 (51) The manner of laying of hookes 24 
 
 (52) Here is how to saue and preserue fish 23 
 
 (53) The Heme 25 
 
 (54) The Otter 25 
 
 (55) Here followeth the Otter Wele 27 
 
 (56) For the water-ratte ^^ 
 
 (57) To preserue spa\\Tie in spawning time 29 
 
 (58) The manner of way to take sea-pies 3^ 
 
 (59) Here shall follow the knouledge how to replenish your fish pondes 31 
 
 (60) Of clensing your pondes from w^eds 33 
 
 {61) Here shall be shewed a care of lauing your pondes in sauing the 
 
 water where it is scant to saue your fish aliue 33 
 
VI 
 
 Preface. 
 
 (62 
 (63 
 
 (64 
 
 (6s 
 (66 
 
 (67 
 (68 
 
 (69; 
 (7°; 
 (71 
 (72 
 (73 
 
 (74: 
 (75 
 
 (76: 
 
 {n 
 
 (78 
 
 (79 
 (80 
 
 (81 
 (82 
 (83 
 (84; 
 (85 
 
 (86 
 (87 
 
 PAGB 
 
 There is also a care alwayes to maintaine your pits and stuis 
 
 with fish 34 
 
 How to nourish your fish in pooles, mayers, and standing 
 
 waters 34 
 
 Of the taking of fish diuerse wayes 35 
 
 Pour amorcer, or gather Tortues 35 
 
 To make it drie 3^ 
 
 To take Loches or small fish 3^ 
 
 Another way 37 
 
 To t^ke Perch 37 
 
 To take the Samon as well in the Riuer, as in the sea 37 
 
 To take much fish by a light in the night 38 
 
 To take Yeeles in the winter in haye or straw bottles 38 
 
 How to breede and increase Yeeles in riuers, pondes, and 
 
 standing waters 39 
 
 The Gase for to catch Menowes 39 
 
 How to bobbe for yeeles 4^ 
 
 {The yeele speare to take ydeles 4^ 
 
 The Otter Speare 41 
 
 To bre'ede Millars-thumbes and Loches in shallow brookes or 
 
 riuers 4^ 
 
 The breeding of Creuis 44 
 
 The kinges fisher 45 
 
 The Cormorant 4^ 
 
 The Dobchicke 4^ 
 
 The More-coote or bauld Coote kils fish also 47 
 
 The making of a water lime, a very good and a perfect way . . 47 
 
 The Ospray 48 
 
 The tempering of bird-lime, and it will serue also well in water . 48 
 
 Lime made of Misteltoo 49 
 
 A pretie way to take a pye 49 
 
 It will be noticed that the compiler, as previously stated, has omitted the 
 introductory passages in which angling is compared, to its advantage, with 
 
Preface. vii 
 
 hunting, hawking, and fowling, that he omits the directions for making rods and 
 lines, and has rearranged the matter of the "Treatyse." 
 
 The chapters on the places and weather for angling, and on its "lets" or 
 impediments ; on the baits for particular fish ; on artificial flies ; on colouring 
 lines ; and on the selection of lines and plumbing them, are closely copied from 
 the "Treatyse" of 1496, the variations in the language being only such as would 
 be made by a transcriber who was himself practically acquainted with the Art. 
 Occasionally, however, he allows himself greater licence, and adds to the 
 instructions given in the " Treatyse." The chapter on the Carp has been 
 rewritten, and its baits are specified, though the sentence, about being *' loth to 
 add more than I know and have proved," is preserved. The recent introduction 
 of this fish is also here reasserted (and twice elsewhere in the book), but assumes 
 this form : " The first bringer of them into England (as I have been credibly 
 informed) was Master MascoU of Plumsted in Sussex, who also brought first 
 the planting of the Pippin in England." On the authority of this passage. 
 Fuller assigns to Leonard Mascall the honour of first introducing the carp, 
 and gives 15 14 as the date of its introduction, but the assertion is refuted, as 
 has been many times pointed out, by the fact that the "Treatyse," written 
 certainly before 1496, and possibly before 1450, mentions this fish, and adds, 
 "but there ben but fewe in England." Mascall may indeed have brought carp 
 into the country, but he cannot be called the "first bringer of them." 
 
 How much of the rest of the book is the author's own and how much is 
 drawn from other sources I have not been able precisely to ascertain, but 
 Chapters (59) to (70) are, I find, taken from " L'agriculture et maison rustique 
 de M. Charies Esrienne, Docteur en Medecine" (liv. iv., chapters 13—18, 
 22—26), and the particular edition used appears to have been that: "A Pans, 
 Chez Jacques Du-Puys, 1570." This is inferred from the headings of the chapters 
 
viii Preface. 
 
 — not continued in later editions — which Mascall has preserved, and one of 
 which has been curiously mistranslated. This is the chapter (66), p. 36, 
 headed "To make it drie." The words in Estienne are "Pour les seiches" — 
 to take "Crayfish." 
 
 Many of the miscellaneous paragraphs which complete the book are probably 
 Mascall's own. They comprise the modes of capturing the otter and the 
 water-rat, the heron, dabchick, and other birds preying on fish, breeding miller's 
 thumbs and crayfish, bobbing for eels, making bird-lime, and, by way of 
 conclusion, "a pretie way to take a pye." 
 
 But the most noticeable feature of the book is the waiter's sohcitude for 
 " replenishing the waters," protecting the spawning fish, and putting down unfair 
 weapons of destruction. To this subject he recurs again and again, and his 
 heart is ever with his pen. In Chapter (77) "To breede millar's thumbes and 
 loches," which is certainly his own, after telling us how fish " out of season are 
 forbid to be taken and sold " in France, he adds emphatically : " I would to 
 God it were so here with vs in England, and to haue more preseruers, and less 
 spoylers of fish out of season and in season : then we should have more plentie 
 then we haue through this Realme. Also I would wish that all stoppe nets, and 
 drags with casting nets, were banished in all common riuers throught this Realme 
 for three moneths : as in March, April!, and May, wherein they take fish out of 
 season as well as others, with great spoyles of spawne, both of great and small 
 fish, for they vse such nets with small mesh, that kils all fish afore they come 
 to any growth and good seruice for the common wealth " (p. 44). He adds that 
 the "water Bayles" neglect their duties and allow the fishermen to do as they 
 please, while the owners of the waters are equally indifferent, and extort such 
 rents from the fishermen that the latter are compelled to take all the fish they 
 can get. If "careful! men were put in office" he thinks we should have in 
 
Preface. ix 
 
 the course of a few years " plentie of all riuer fish and also a great sparint^ 
 of flesh." 
 
 In another place (p. 31), where he has added a page to a chapter taken from 
 Estienne, he displays the spirit of a true sportsman, saying : "It is a good thing 
 to haue plentie of fresh water fish, in riuers and pooles, and standing waters : and 
 a great pleasure for man sometimes to take with his angle a dish of fish in those 
 waters wherein fish is plentie and well preserued, not to vse any other engins, 
 but \vith the hooke : and by such meanes as the lawes of this realme doth 
 permit and allow, not to vse fire, handguns, crossebows, oyles, ointments, pouders, 
 and pellets made to cast in the waters to stonny and poyson the fish, nor yet to 
 vse all sorts of nets, and such as are deuourers of fish, as bow nets, casting nets, 
 small trammels, shoue nets, and draught nets : which are destroyors of fish before 
 they are growen to any bignesse." He proceeds to urge those taking the 
 " government " of waters, " to replenish them with all such kinde of fish as may 
 there be preserued and bred," and particularly recommends the " fenne pult," 
 that is the Eel-pout or Burbot, found in the " fennes beside Peterborrow," as 
 furnishing a " pleasant meate," and likely to do well in rivers and running waters. 
 Yarrell, it may be observed, also thought that the Burbot has been undeservedly 
 neglected as a food fish. 
 
 Leonard Mascall's book, it may be said in conclusion, is simply a collection 
 of practical directions for the angler and fish preserver, such as a man of his 
 time might prepare for his o^vn use. The compiler indulges in no comments or 
 reflections, save when his indignation as a propagator and protector of fish is 
 roused by the doings of his neighbours. The passages from Estienne, some of 
 which, such as the chapter on p. 35, "of the taking of fish," are singularly out of 
 place, may have been added when the time came to him, as to other note-makers, 
 
 b 
 
X Preface. 
 
 of " making a book " ; or they may have been added by another hand to eke 
 out a volume, after Mascall's death. 
 
 I have again to thank the Rev. Professor Skeat for his kindness in looking 
 over the Glossary, and supplying the valuable notes to which his name is 
 attached. 
 
 DowNSHiRE Hill, N.W., 
 March l^th, 1 884. 
 
A Booke of fishing 
 with Hooke and Line, and 
 of all other instruments there- 
 unto belonging. 
 
 ^-^^^^i:^ '^^^^^^^^%\^^-,^M 
 
 London 
 
 Printed by John Wolfe, and are to be solde 
 
 by Edwarde White dwelling at the little North 
 
 doore of Paules at the signe of the Guntie. 
 
 1590. 
 
First the knoivledgc of angling with the 
 Hooke and Lyne. 
 
 ERE will I declare briefly vnto you, how to angle with the hookc 
 and lyne, in what times best, and in what places of the water to 
 take fish. First in standing pooles, ye shall angle where the water 
 is somthing deepe. There is no great choise of any place where 
 it is any thing deepe, either in poole or other standing water : but 
 in a riuer, ye shall angle best where it is deepe and cleare by the ground, being 
 grauell or clay without any mudde or we'edes, and in whirling waters, or in a 
 couert, as vnder a hollow banke or rootes of trdes, or long we'edes floting 
 aboue on the water, all these places are troublesome : also it is good angling in 
 de'epe stiffe streames, or in falles of waters or weares, and in fludde gates, and mil! 
 pooles, and it is good whereas the water resteth by the banke, or where the streame 
 runneth nigh thereabout, being de'epe and cleare by the ground, or any other place 
 where ye may se'e any fish houe aboue in the water, or hath any other feeding place 
 to resort, or on that side the water where the winde hath no great power. 
 
 B 
 
A Booke 
 
 What times best to angle. 
 
 Here shall ye vnderstand what time of the day is best to angle, from the 
 beginning of May vnto the moneth of September fish will byte. The best angling 
 to take fish, is earely in the morning from foure of the clock vntil it it be eight a clocke, 
 other be meetly, but not so good as in the morning : also the euenings be in- 
 different good to angle, if it be somewhat calme withall, or els not good, the winde 
 blowing from the South or West. 
 
 Also if it be a cold whistling winde in a darke lowring day, for the darke lowring 
 weather is much better to angle in : then in a cleare sunny day, and from the 
 beginning of September vnto the end of Aprill, ye shall spare no time of the day 
 to angle, and likewise many poole fish will byte best in the mid day about noone. 
 If ye shall see any time of the day, the Troute, or Grayling leape, ye may then 
 angle to him a double worme, according to the same month, and if the water doth 
 ebbe and flow, the fish in some place will byte best at the ebbe, and in some places 
 at the floud, according to the places of rest, as behind pillers and arches of bridges, 
 or such like suckering places in the most quiet water. 
 
 In ivhat zvetJier to angle in. 
 
 Here ye shall vnderstand in what wether ye shall best angle as aforesaide in the 
 darke louring day, when the winde bloweth southly from the South or West : in the 
 Summer season when the sunne is very hote, it is then naught to angle, but from 
 September vnto Aprill, it is then good in a faire sunny day, the winde being then 
 good : if it haue any part of the Orient or East, it is then naught to angle, for they 
 will not byte, or when it is a great winde, snow, raine, or haile, or in a great tempest 
 of thunder, or lightening, for it feareth them, or els in a swooly hote wether, all these 
 times are not good to angle for to take fish. 
 
of fishing. 
 
 Of tivelue lets in taking fish. 
 
 Ye shall here vnderstand there be twelue manner of impediments or lets which 
 causeth a man to take no fish, without other cunning that may happe by casualitie. 
 The first is if your harnesse or lynes be not fitly made : the second is, if your 
 baites be not good nor fine : the third is, when that ye angle not in the byting 
 time : the fourth is, if that your fish be fearefuU of the sight of man : the fift is, if 
 the water be very thicke, white or redde by any floud late falen : the sixt is, if the 
 fish for colde doe not stirre abroade : the seuenth is, if the wether then be too 
 hote : the eight is, if it be in rainy wether : the nynth is, if then haile or snow do 
 fall : the tenth is, if it be in any tempest : the eleuenth is, if then it be a great 
 winde : the twelfth is, if the winde blow from the East, for that is worst, and 
 commonly neither winter nor summer the fish will then byte : the West and South 
 windes be good, but the South winde best of all. 
 
 To take tlie Salmon. 
 
 The Salmon is a gentle fish, but he is cumbrous to take : for commonly he is 
 but in deepe places of great riuers, and commonly in the middest of the riuer : he 
 is in season from March vnto Michaelmasse, and ye shall angle to him with a red 
 wormc, from the beginning to the ending, and with the bobbe worme that bre'edeth 
 in the dughill : also there is a soueraigne baite that brdedeth on the water dockc : 
 the Salmon byteth not at the ground but at the flote or aboue : ye may also take 
 him with the dubbe worm at such time when he leapeth, but it hath seldom se'enc, 
 and ye shall take him in like manner as ye dee take the Trout, or Grayling, or 
 the Dace. 
 
 For the Troiite. 
 
 The Troute is in season from March vnto jMichaelmasse, he vseth commonly a 
 cleane grauelly ground, and in a streame : ye may angle to him at all times with 
 a ground lyne, lying or running, sauing in the leaping time, then with the dubbe 
 
4 A Booke 
 
 flye, and earely in the morning with a running ground lyne, and further in the day 
 with the flote lyne. Also yee may angle to him, in March with a Menowe hanged 
 on your hooke by the nether parte without anye flote or plumbe, drawing it vppe 
 and downe in the streame till ye fe'ele him fast, but if ye angle to him with the flye, 
 ye shall strike when he is a foote and more from your baite, for he commeth so fast ye 
 may in the same time angle to him with a ground lyne, and bayted with a red 
 worme, for that is a good sure baite, and is most vsed. Also in March, Aprill, 
 May, September and October take the Menow on your hooke : in December, 
 Januarie and Februarie drag with the bobworme at the ground : in June, July and 
 August, fish with made flyes on your hooke : on the vpper part of the water, for 
 that is a sure baite and is most vsed. 
 
 In Aprill take the red worme. and also of Juneba, otherwise called seuen eyes, 
 or the great canker worme that bre'edeth in the bark of a great tree, and the red 
 snaile. In May, take the stone flye or Caddis worme, and the bobbe worme vnder 
 the Cowtorde : also ye may take the silke worme, and the baite that breedeth on a 
 Fearne leafe. 
 
 In June take the red worme and nippe of his head, and put it on your hooke, 
 and a codworme before. In July take the great red worme, and the codworme 
 together. In August take the flesh flye, and the great red worme, and the fat 
 of bacon, and binde it about your hooke. In September take the red worme, and 
 the menow. In October, take the same, for they are speciall good for the Troute 
 in all times of the yeare, from April vnto September, the Trout leapeth, then angle 
 to him with a dubbed or armed hooke according to the saide monethes, for he'e is 
 strona: in the water. 
 
 For the Grayling. 
 
 The Grayling, otherwise named Umbre, ye may angle for him as ye doe for the 
 Troute, and these are commonly his baites : in March and in Aprill ye shall take 
 the red worme : in May ye'e shall take the greene worme, and asurall [a small] 
 grayled worme, and the Docke canker, and the worme on the hawthorne : in June, 
 
of fishing. 5 
 
 the baite that breedeth betweene the barke and the tree of the Oke : in July, the 
 baite that bre'edeth on the Fearne leafe, and the great red worme, and nippe of 
 his head, and put it on your hooke with the Codworme before : in August the 
 red worme and the docke worme, and all the yeare after vse chiefly the 
 red worme. 
 
 For the Barbyll. 
 
 The Barbell is a subtill and straunge fish to take, and very daintie to take his 
 baite : these are commonly his baytes, in March and in Aprill ye shall angle to him 
 with fresh che'ese laide on a borde, and so cut [cut] it in small pe'eces square, the 
 length of your hooke : then take a candle and burne it or smeare it on the end at 
 the point of your hooke till it look yelow : then binde it on your hooke with Fletchers 
 silke, and make it rough like a welbede" worme, and this is verie good for all somer 
 season : but in May and June ye shall take the Hawthorne worme, and the great 
 redde worme before : in July the red worme for a che'efe baite, and the Hawthorne 
 worme together, and also the worme that breedeth in the water dog [? dock] leafe, 
 and the yong Hornet worme together : in August and for all the yeare, take the 
 tallow of a sheepe and soft cheese of each alike, and grinde or scrape them well 
 and small together, till it waxe fine and tough, then put a little wheate flower, and 
 make it into little pellets, and this is a good baite to angle at the bottom, and see 
 that it doe sinke alone in the water, or els it is not good for this purpose. 
 
 The Carpc. 
 
 The Carpe also is a straunge and daintie fish to take, his baites are not well 
 knovvne, for he hath not long beene in this realme. The first bringer of them 
 into PvHgland (as I have be'ene credibly enformed) was maister Mascoll of Plumsted 
 in Sussex, who also brought first the planting of the Pippin in England : but now 
 many places are replenished with Carpes, both in poundes and riuers, and because 
 not knowing well his cheefe baites in each moneth, I will write the lesse of him, 
 he is a straunge fish in the water, and very straunge to byte, but at certaine times to 
 
6 A Booke 
 
 wit, at foure a clocke in the morning, and eight at night be his chiefe byting times, 
 and he is so strong enarmed in the mouth, that no weake harnesse will hold him, 
 and his byting is very tickle : but as touching his baytes, hauing small knowledge 
 by experience, I am loth to write more then I know and haue prooued. But well 
 I wote, the red worme and the Menow bee good baites for him in all times of the 
 yeare, and in June with the cadys or water worme : in July, and in August with the 
 Maggot or gentyll, and with the coale worme, also with paste made with hony and 
 wheate flower, but in Automne, with the redde worme is best, and also the Gras- 
 hopper with his legs cut off, which he wil take in the morning, or the whites of hard 
 egges ste'eped in tarte ale, or the white snaile. 
 
 The Cheuyn. 
 
 The Cheuyn is also a warie fish to take, and very fearefuU : In March he will 
 byte at the redde worme at the ground, for commonly he will byte at the ground, 
 and somewhat de'epe at all times of the yeare, in Aprill, the cadyce or ditch canker, 
 and the canker that breedeth in the barke of a tre'e, and the worme that bre'edeth 
 betweene the barke and the Oke tree : also the red worme, and the young frogge 
 his legges and feete cut off, also the stone Cadyce flye, and the bobbe worme vnder 
 the cowturd, likewise the redde snaile: in May, the baite that breedeth on the 
 Ozyar leafe, and the docke canker together put vpon your hooke, and the baite that 
 bre'edeth on the feme leafe, also the codde worme, and a baite that bre'edeth on the 
 hawthorne, and the worme that bre'edeth on the oke leafe, and also the silke worme 
 and the codde worme together : in June, take then the Crekets and the Dor flye, 
 and also the red worme, the heade cut off, and a codde worme before, also the 
 worme in the Oziar le'efe, and young frogges, the fe'ete cut off by the body or by the 
 knee, also the baite on the hawthorne, and the codworme together, and the dunghill 
 grubbe or worme and a great Grashopper : in July, the Grashopper, and the humble 
 Be'e in the medow the waterest, also young wasps and white young Hornets, taken 
 in their combes, and the greate branded flye that bre'edeth in pathes of medowes, 
 and the flying Pysmyars, which be in the pismyar hilles : in August, take the 
 
of fishing. 
 
 Colewort worme, and the Gentyll or Magot vntill Michaelmasse, and in September, 
 take then the red worme, and these baites when ye may get them, which is, 
 Cheries, young ]\Iyse not haired, and the sow worme that bre'edeth in postes of 
 the house. 
 
 The Breame 
 
 The Breame is a noble fish counted and a daintie, he is good to take, he is a 
 strong fish in the water, ye shall angle to him from March vnto August with the 
 redde worme, and then with the Butterflye, and the gre'ene flye, and also with the 
 baitc that breedeth among greene reede, and a worme that bre'edeth in the barke 
 of a dead tre'e, and to take young Bremcts, take the Gentils or Maggots, and from 
 August all the yeare after ye'e shall take the red worme, and if ye angle for him in 
 the riuer, ye shall then take of browne bread, for that is good, yet some doe vse 
 in Aprill-and May, the worme that breedeth on the Elme and willow, and chewed 
 bread is very good, and all other baites vsed for the Cheuyn, but specially 
 young waspes. 
 
 The Tench. 
 
 The Tench is a fish that feedeth at the bottom, and most part of the yeare 
 among the mudde, and most he stirreth in the monethes of June and July, and 
 in other times of the yeare but little : the Tench is an euill byter, and very subtill 
 to take with the angle, his common baites are these, for all the yeare they take 
 browne bread tosted and smeared with hony in likenesse of buttered toste, also 
 they take the great red worme, and for a chiefe baite, take the blacke bloud in the 
 hart of a sheepe, and mixe it with flower and hony, and temper them all together 
 something softer then pappe or paste, and annoint therewith your red worme on 
 your hooke : it is very good both for this kinde of fish, and for other also, and 
 they will byte thereat much the better at all times. 
 
A Booke 
 
 To take Pearch. 
 
 The Perch is a daintie fish and passing wholesome for a man, he is also a free 
 and greedy byter : these are his baites, in March they take the red worme, in 
 Aprill, the bobbe worme vnder the cowdung, in May, the hawthorne worme and 
 the codworme, in June the baite that bre'edeth in an olde hollow oke, and the 
 greater canker : in July the baite that breedeth on the Ozier leafe, and the great 
 bobbe-worme that breedeth in the dunghill, and the flyeboate worme that breedeth 
 on the weede raggewort, and the codworme : in August, then take the red worme 
 and the Maggots or gentils, and the Menow tyed by the lippe, and for all the yeare 
 after, ye shall take the red worme, for that is best. 
 
 TJie Roche. 
 
 The Roch is a wholesom fish and easie to take with the angle, for he is a 
 ready byter : these are his baites : in March ye shall take the red worme, in Aprill, 
 the bobbe worme vnder the cowdung, in May, the baite that breedeth on the oke 
 leafe and the flying Emmat, and the bobbe worme that bre'edeth in the dunghill : 
 in June the flying Ante, and the baite that bre'edeth in the Ozier, and the cod- 
 worme : in July, the worme in the flagge roote, and ye shall take of house flyes, 
 and the baite that bre'edeth on the oke, and the worme that breedeth in the small 
 nutte, and also the gentils, till Michaelmasse, and after Michaelmasse take the 
 fatte of Bacon. Another speciall baite, take faire wheate and sdeth it like furmantie : 
 then take it out of the water and drie it, then frie it with hony, and good store of 
 saffron, and then put it on your hooke, and the fish will byte thereat maruellous 
 fast. But before ye angle, ye shall cast into the water a fewe crummes of bread, 
 or take some crummes and fry them with some hony, and mixe it with saffron, 
 and se'e ye frie it not to much, for this is good and a chiefe baite. 
 
of fishing. 
 
 The Dace. 
 
 The Dace is a gentle fish to take, and quicke at the bayte, he'e biteth all the 
 sommer nie the toppe of the water, and they angle to him without the flote in 
 March, his bayte is the red worme, in Aprill, the bobbe worme vnder the cow-torde, 
 in May, the docke cawker, and the bayte that is vnder the slowe thorne, and the 
 worme on the oake leafe : in June, the codworme, and the bayte that breedeth on 
 the Ozyer, and the white worme in the dunghill : in July, then take house flyes, 
 and the flyes that doe breede in pysmyre hilles : also the codde worme and gentilles 
 or magots, and those vse vntill Michaelmas, and if the water then be cleare, ye 
 shall take fish when other take none : and from that time foorth, take baytes for 
 him as ye do for the Roch, for commonly of their bayts and byting be all alike. 
 
 The Bleke. 
 
 The Bleke is a little fish in byting, and commonly hce bytes not nie the bottome, 
 but aboue and in the middest of the water. His baytes from March to Michaelmas, 
 are the same baytes which are written afore for the Roch. And also the Dace, 
 sauing for all the sommer season, angle for him asmuch as you may with the house 
 flie, and for the winter season, ye shall angle to him with Bakon flesli, and other 
 baytes made me'ete for his purpose, as hereafter ye'e shall more vnderstande 
 thereof. 
 
 The Ruffe. 
 
 The Ruffe is a holesome fish and good to byte, and ye shall angle to him with 
 the same baytes, in all the moneths of the yeare, as I haue tolde you before of the 
 Perch, for these two fishes are in eating and feeding all alike, sauing that the Rufj^e 
 is not so bigge as the Perch, for they are commonly alwayes lesse of growth, but the 
 red worme is chiefe for them both. 
 
 a« C 
 
lo A Booke 
 
 The Flounder. 
 
 The Flounder is also a holesome fish for sicke folkes, and he will be in fresh 
 waters and riuers, he is free in byting, but a subtill byter after his manner, in nibling 
 long ere he take the bayte : and commonly when he sucketh his meate, he feedeth 
 at the ground, and therefore ye must angle to him with a lying ground line : and 
 they vse for him but one manner of bayte, which is the red worme, for that is the 
 common and chiefest bayte for him, and all manner of fish. 
 
 The Googing. 
 
 The Googing is a good and a holesome fish, he is a readie byter, and byteth 
 commonly at the ground, and his baytes through out the yeare are these : the red 
 worme for the chiefest, also the codde worme and the gentell : and ye must angle 
 to him with a flote or corke, and let alwayes your bayt be within two fingers or an 
 inch of the bottome or lesse, or else for to dragge on the grounde, for so it is best 
 and most soonest to take them. He vseth in deepe places mth cleane sand or 
 grauel ground at the bottome, as at wayers, bridges, and miltayles. 
 
 TJie Menow. 
 
 The Menow is a small fish and a bold byter, and byteth commonly at the 
 bottome, as the Googine : it is a holesome fish to eate if he be gauld. For when 
 he shineth in the water, he is then bitter, though his bodie be small : and he is a 
 great rauening byter, and will have the bayte before other fish : ye shall angle to 
 him with the same baytes as ye doe for the Gogin, sauing they must be small. 
 And with a small hooke, or else ye shall often be deceiued by them : some angles 
 to them with a line of two hookes or three, two together and on [an] other hooke 
 aboue : they will be in all shalow places as in ditches, and such like. 
 
of fishing. 1 1 
 
 The Ycelc. 
 
 The Ye'ele is a greedie fish, and he'e byteth ahvayes at the bottome, ye shall see 
 commonly holes in the bottom of the water, if ye put in your hooke there, yee shall 
 soone haue him byte if he be there, and he will holde very harde a long time, ye 
 must therefore holde your line stiffe, and hee will ye'eld at length if ye plucke and 
 striue with him hastely ye are like to loose him. And when he lyeth in a hole, it 
 shall be best for to angle to him with your proch hooke, as is shewed after, but 
 when you angle to the bottome for the Gogin, ye shall oft times take the Yeele 
 when that he runneth abroad, as often they will specially in the euening. The great 
 red worme is the chiefest bayte for him, or a Menow, or any pe'ece of gutte, or 
 such like. 
 
 The Fyke. 
 
 The Pyke is a common deuourer of most fish, where he cometh for to take him 
 ye shall doe thus. Take a codling hooke, well armed with wyer, then take a small 
 Roch or Gogin, or else a Frogge a line, or a fresh Hearing, and put through your 
 armed wyer with your hooke on the end, and let your hooke rest in the mouth of 
 your bayte, and out of the tayle thereof, and downe by the ridge or side of the fresh 
 Hearing, and then put your line thereto, and drawe it vp and downe the water or 
 poole, and if he see it, hee will take it in haste, let him go with it a while, and then 
 strike and holde, and so tyre him in the water. Some doe put the hooke in at the 
 cheeke of the bayte, and foorth at the tayle : but when ye will lay your lyne, then 
 must ye put a plummet of leade vpon your line, a yarde from your hooke, and a 
 flote in the middest betweene the leade and your bayte, that it sinke not to the 
 bottome, for then the yeeles will eat your baite away. Ye may lay in your baites 
 without flots, and often ye may speede of pykes : and if you will se'e a good sport in 
 a pond where as there is store of Pykes, you shall put in a Goose, and put a frogge 
 a Hue on a hooke, and tye it with a strong pockthreed (to the Goose foote) a yeard 
 long or more, and in short space ye shall se'e good snatching and tugging betwe'ene 
 
12 A Booke 
 
 the Pyke and the goose. An other maner of taking the Pyke there is : ye shall take 
 a liue Frogge, and put him on your hooke at the necke betwe'ene the skinne and the 
 bodie on the backe part, and put a flote as is aforesaide, then cast it in a riuer or 
 pound, where ye thinke the Pyke haunteth, and ye shall soone take him : and the 
 best laying or angling for him, is towardes night. Also another maner is to take 
 him: take the same baite aforesaide, and put it into a safetida, and then cast 
 it in the water with a long line and a hooke, and ye shall not fayle of him 
 soone after. 
 
 An other baite for him : Take Boares grease a safetida, neppe, so boile alto 
 gether, then take a Roch, or other small fish, and drie it in your bosome : and take 
 and annoint him with the foresaide oyntment, and then put him on your hooke, and 
 cast it into the water, and you shall spe'ede : also some doe vse to dragge for the 
 Pyke with a bleke, Roch, or Gogin, in drawing it vp and downe the water, some- 
 times aboue, and sometimes beneath, for so he will soonest come, if he see it, and 
 some anglers do put the hooke in at his gill, and out at his mouth, and so drawes 
 the bayte, as though he did flic from the Pyke, which is taken for the better way to 
 make him more eger to take it. 
 
 TJie Loch, and the Millers thiunbe. 
 
 The Loch and the cull, or Miller's thumbe, they are good and wholesome fish, 
 they feede at the bottome, and lye most part in we'edes, rootes, and holes in bankes, 
 and to angle for them, ye must lay to the bottome, they do seldom byte at an hooke, 
 but the red worme is their chiefest bayte that I do knowe for them, for their foode 
 is commonly at the bottome, in sucking such as lies on the bottome of the 
 water. 
 
 The Diaiiner of feeding and preserving your 
 quick e baites. 
 
 Now I will tell you how you shall feepe [feede] and keede [keepe] your quicke 
 baites, which is, you shal feede and keepe them al in general, but every maner by 
 
of fishmg. 13 
 
 him self, with such things as they breede in, and \'ppon, and so long they be quicke 
 and newe, so long they are fine and good, but when they be once dead, they are 
 then nothing worth, out of these be excepted three broodes or kindes, that is to 
 we'ete, of hornets, humble bees, and waspes, which ye shall take them after the 
 bread is drawen out of the ouen, and then dippe their heads in blood, and let them 
 so dry, and also for the raagots when they be bred, and waxe great with their natural 
 fe'eding, yee shall continue and fe'ede them, (furthermore) with she'epes tallowe, and 
 with a cake made of flower, and hony, which will cause them to be more greater, 
 and when ye haue cleansed them in a blanket bagge with sand, ke'epe it hotte vnder 
 your gowne, or other warme thing two howers or three, then they wil be best to your 
 purpose, and ready for to angle with, and for the frog, when yee angle with him, 
 yee must cutte off his legges by the kne'es, and also the grasse-hopper, his legges and 
 winges by the body, all other made baites I will here let passe, but vse them as yee 
 thinke good. • 
 
 Baites to last all the yeare. 
 
 Here I will speake of certaine baites to last al the ye'ere. The first is made of 
 beane flowre, and leane fleshe of the hippes of a cony, or of a catte, with virgin waxe, 
 and sh^epes tallow, so beate them in a morter, and then temper them at the fire, 
 with a litle clarified hony, and so make it vppe in small balles, and therewith yee may 
 baite your hooke according to the quantity, and this is a good baite for all manner 
 of fishe, that vseth the freshe waters. 
 
 Ayiother. 
 
 Take the suet of a sheepe, and cheese, of each like quantity, and bray them 
 together long in a morter, then take flowre and temper it therewith, and then delay 
 it with hony, and so make balles thereof, and this is a special baite fo[r] the 
 barbell also. 
 
14 ^ Booke 
 
 Baites for fireat [g'reat] fisJie. 
 
 The baites for great fishe, yee shall keepe in minde this rule, that is, whensouer 
 yde doe take a great fishe, yee shall open the maw of him, and looke what yee finde 
 therein, make that your baite for that time, for that is ahvaies best and most surest. 
 There is many other making of baites, but for lacke of knowledge therein, I wil 
 here passe them ouer, and some not so needefull as necessary as these aforesaide. 
 
 Of tweliie kindes of made Flies to angle, for the 
 trout, in Sommer zvith other fishe. 
 
 There hath beene vsed twelue maner of fives, made and sette vnto the hookes to 
 angle withall, on the top of the water, the which Flies are to angle for the grailing 
 and darce, and chiefest for the troute, and also for the chub, like as now ye shall 
 here me tell and declare, each by him selfe, the counterfeiting of them. 
 
 First for the diinne Fly. 
 
 1. The dun Fly (in March) the body is made of dunne woolle, and the winges 
 of the partridge feathers. 
 
 2. Also there is another dunne Fly made, the body of blacke wooll, and the 
 winges is made of the blacke drakes feathers, and of the feathers vnder the 
 winges of his taile. 
 
 The stone Fly. 
 
 3. The stone Fly (in Aprill) the body is made of black wooll, made yellow 
 vnder the winges, and vnder the tayl, and so made with the wings of 
 the drake. 
 
of fishing. 15 
 
 The ruddy Fly, 
 
 4. The ruddy Fly, in the beginning of May, is a good Fly to angle with aloft 
 on the water, the body is made of redde wooU, lapt about with blacke silke, and 
 the feathers of the winges of the drake, with the feathers of the red capons taile, 
 or hakell. 
 
 TJte yellow Fly. 
 
 5. The yellow Fly (in May) is good, the body made of yellow wooll, and the 
 winges made of the redde cockes hackell or taile, and of the drake littid, or 
 coulered yellow. 
 
 The blacke Fly. 
 
 6. The blacke Fly or lowper (in May) the body is made of blacke wooll, and 
 lapt about with the herle of the peacockes taile, the winges are made of the winges 
 of a browne capon, with his blew feathers in the head. • 
 
 TJie sad yellow Fly. 
 
 7. The sad yellow Fly (in June) the body is made of blacke wooll, with a yellow 
 liste of either side, and the wings taken of the winges of the bozard, bound with 
 blacke bracked hempe. 
 
 TJie More Fly. 
 
 8. The moorerish Fly is also good, made with the body of duskish wooll, and the 
 winges made of the blaskishe male of the drake. 
 
1 6 A Booke 
 
 The tawny Fly. 
 
 9, The tawny Fly is good at Sainct Willams day, or vnto midde June, the body 
 is made of tawny wooll, and the winges made contrary, one against the other, made 
 of the whitishe maile of the wilde drake. 
 
 The waspe Fly. 
 
 10. The waspe Fly (in July) the body is made of black wooll, and lapped about 
 with yellowe threede, and the wings are made of the feathers of the bozard. 
 
 TJie shell Fly. 
 
 11. The shell Fly is good at Saint Thomas day, or midde July, the body is 
 made of greene wooll, and lapped about with the herell of the peacocks taile, and 
 the winges made of the winges of a bozard. 
 
 The darke or drake Fly. 
 
 12. The darke drake Fly (in August) is good, the body is made of blacke wooll, 
 and lapped about with blacke silke, his winges are made of the maile of the black 
 drake, with a blacke head. Thus are they made vpon the hooke, lapt about with 
 some corke Hke each Fly afore mentioned. 
 
 Here followeth how to couller your lines, to 
 angle zvith. 
 
 Now to learne how to couler your lines of heare according to the couler of each 
 water and season, in this wise, first ye'e shall take the haire of a white horse taile, 
 the longest and strongest ye'e can get, the rounder haire the better it is. Then ye'e 
 shall diuide it sixe partes, and yee shall couler each part by him selfe, as yellow, 
 
of fishing. 1 7 
 
 gre'ene, bro\\m, ta\\Tiy, russet, and the duske couler. And to make a good gre'ene, 
 take a quart of small ale, and put it into a panne, and put thereto halfe a pound of 
 alum, and so put therein your haire, and let it boile softly halfe a hower, then take 
 forth the haire and let it drie, Then take a pottel of water and put it in a panne, 
 and put therein too hand ful of Mary golds, or of wixen, and then presse it \a'Ccv a 
 tile stone and so let it boile softly halfe a hower, and when the scum is yellow, then 
 put in your haire, with halfe a pounde of coperes beaten into fine pouder, and so 
 let it boile the space of halfe a mile way, then take it downe, and let it keele the 
 space of fiue or sixe howers, and so take forth your hair and drie it, which wilbe the 
 finest gre'ene for the water, also the more of coperas ye'e doe put in it, the gre'ener it 
 wilbe, or ye may put in steed of it, verdigrece. 
 
 Another kinde to make another grdene, as thus, ye shal put your haire vnto a 
 wood fatte, of plunket couler and it wilbe a light couler, and to make it plunket 
 couler, then ye shall se'eth it in goldes or wixen, like as I have aforesaide, ^^lto this 
 couler ye shall not put coperas, nor verdegrece, for it will doe better without. 
 
 To make yellozv haire. 
 
 For to make yellow haire, ye shall s^eth it with alum, as I haue afore shewed, 
 and after that with goldes or wixen, without coperas or verdegrece. Also another 
 yellow ye shall make thus. Take a pottell of small ale and stampe therein three 
 handfull of grdene walenut leaues, so put them together, and lay your haire therein, 
 so long till y^e haue it so de'epe couler as you desire. 
 
 To make a russet. 
 
 For to make your haire russet, ye'e shall take a pinte of strong ale, and halfe a 
 pound of soote, with a little of the iuice of walnut leaues, and a quantitie of alum, 
 then boile them well altogether in a panne, then take it off, and when it is colde, 
 put therein your haire, and so let it lie till it be a darke couler, so as ye will 
 haue it. 
 
 D 
 
A Booke 
 
 To viakc a broivne cottier. 
 
 For to make your browne couler, ye shall take a pound of soote and seeth it in 
 a quart of ale, and with so many of walnut leaues, as ye shall thinke good, and when 
 they shall waxe blacke, take it off the fire, and put therein your haire, and so let it lie 
 still therein till it be as browne as yee will haue it. Also another browne couler, 
 take of strong ale, and soote, and temper them altogether, and therein put your 
 haire, and let it remaine so the space of two daies, and two nights, and it 
 wilbe well. 
 
 To make a tawny haire. 
 
 For to make your haire a tawny couler, ye shall take a quantity of lime, with the 
 like of water, and so put them together, and put your haire therein, and let it rest 
 foure or fiue howers, then take it out, and put it in tannars ouse, for a day and it 
 wilbe wel. 
 
 Also ye shall keepe the first part of your haire white stil, for your lines to be 
 reserued for the dubbid hooke, to fish for the troute, and grailing, and also to make 
 small lines, to angle for the roche, and the darce, and such. 
 
 Lines fit for each water. 
 
 Here ye shall know in what water to angle, and for which season of the yeare 
 your coulered lines will best serue. 
 
 The greene colered line will serue in all cleere waters, from Aprill vnto 
 September. 
 
 The yellow line is good to angle in euery water which is cleare, ixom September 
 vnto November, for it wilbe like the wdedes, and other withered grasse which is in 
 the water. 
 
of fishmg. 19 
 
 The russet line is best to angle withall in winter, and serueth best all the winter, 
 vnto the end of Aprill, as well in riuers, as standing pooles. 
 
 The browne coulered line to angle withall, serueth for any water that is blacke, 
 or of dedish couler, be it in riuers or standing waters. 
 
 Anglers and fishers. 
 
 The tawny coulered line to angle withal, serueth best for those waters that are 
 heathy, or moorish couler. Thus much for your lines and cullers, practised 
 according to the couler of waters, wishing that all anglers would not angle in 
 vnseasonable times, as from midde March to mid May, for then is the chiefest 
 spawning time, and increase of fishe. A great number there is in this realme which 
 gouerns waters that spares no time to kill, nor cares for no time to saue, but takes 
 at all times, which maketh fresh fishe so deare, and so scant in riuers and running 
 waters. There is so many tillars, but few that seekes to saue and preserue them, 
 they will not suffer the fishe so long as the time to spawne, but troubles the waters 
 with nets and weles both night and day, and many Gentlemen lets their waters (as 
 it should appeare) without any exception of times in the spring, for they make all 
 times alike, not so much as sparing the spawning time, as March, Apnll, 
 and May. 
 
 Thus much touching anglers, and all other fishermen, for these three moneths 
 aforesaid, which I will speak more hereof in their places. 
 
 To order the red ivorme. 
 
 When ye gather them, put them into a boxe or bag, with wet mosse vnder and 
 aboue, and they wil store therein, then take and put them in parcely, fenell, 
 margeram, if ye change them ech night and put them in new dung or earth, yee 
 may so k^epe them good to angle sixe weekes. 
 
20 A Booke 
 
 Here followetJl\etJi\ how to make yotcr Jiookes. 
 
 If yee make your hookes of wier, it is the easier to cut the bord, with a hard 
 Steele knife and bend it (when ye have made the barbe and the point) with a paire 
 of plyars, or with an instrument, wdth a bowed wier in the end, and when ye haue 
 bowed him cut the shanke of what length ye thinke good, then batter him at the 
 end, and smooth it with your file, and it done, then heate him red in the fire, and 
 quenche him in colde water, and it wilbe hard againe, if it be a Steele needle ye 
 must holde it in the fire, till it be red hot, or ouer a candel, and then let it coole ot 
 himselfe, and so it wilbe soft as \s'ier, and to haue the knowledge of this instru- 
 ments, and also how much your hookes and lines shalbe for euerie fish, here may 
 ye see the figures ot your instruments and hookes. 
 
 % 
 
 enH i h i ' j i'i' i iii ^^jii ^ '»>»s^i5^^ 
 
 pfl^iiBpf r 
 
 PIKE HOOKE, THE PROCH. 
 
 Now when ye haue made thus your hookes of al sorts, then must yee set them 
 to your lines, accordhig in greatnes and strength, for euery fishe in this wise. Ye 
 shall take small red silke, for a great hooke double, but twiste it not, and for small 
 hookes, let it be single, and therewith fret your hookes in doubling your lines end, 
 and your silke or haire on the inside of your double line, then fret or whippe it so 
 faire as yee shall see good, then next your hooke at the bought put throw your silke 
 or haire in going round about the hooke thre'e times, then plucke first your silke 
 or haire hard downe, and then your line, so cut it off harde by the end of your 
 hooke (in setting your line on the inside oi your hooke,[)] and so it is done. 
 
of fishing. 21 
 
 Now must yee know yam hookes, how to angle 
 for euerie kinde of fis/ie. 
 
 I will tell you with how many sufficient haires yee shall angle for euery kinde of 
 fishe. For the Meno with a line of one haire, for the small or wexing roche, the 
 bleke, the gagin, and the ruffe, with a line ot two haires, for the darce and the great 
 roche, with a line of three haire, for the perche, the flounder, and the small breme, 
 with a line of foure haires, for the cheuin chubbe, the breme, the tenche, and the 
 ye'ele, with a line of sixe haires, for the troute, the grailing, the barbyll, and the 
 great cheuin, with a line ot nine haires, for the great troute, with twelue haires, for 
 the sa\vmon, with a line of fifteene haires, and for the pike, a chalke line, and 
 browne it with your browne couler aforesaid, and armed with a wier, as hereafter 
 shalbe se'ene, when I speake of the pike. 
 
 To know hoiu to plumhe your lifie. 
 
 Your lines must be plumbed with leade, finely and thin beate, and lapt close 
 about your line next your hooke, and the next leade to your hooke must be from 
 your hooke a foote long or else somewhat more : and euerie plummet ought to be 
 of the quantitie according to his line in bignes. There be three maner of 
 plummets and plumbings, which is for a groundline lying, and another for a ground- 
 Hne running : and the third line is the flote line set vpon the groundline lying, with 
 ten plummets ioyning altogether, running vpon the ground with xx. or tenne tenne 
 small plummets : and for the flote or corke line, leade or plumbe him so heauie, 
 that the least plucke ot any fish may plucke it downe, and make the leades or 
 plummets sincke : for them, make them round and smooth, small and close to the 
 line at both endes, that they fasten not on we'edes in the water, which will be a let 
 
2 2 A Booke 
 
 to your angling, and for the more vnderstanding how they vse them, here shall be 
 the figures. 
 
 4 »yvi aa ^^ ' ■(iiiHiiiii''^^HB' 
 
 Q^ ^ <>o-<s»-o 
 
 There is also a line without corke to fish with, which they vse in some places in 
 sommer to angle for the Darce, the Bleke, and the Trowt, w-hich they vse to cast 
 his line into the water, and still to drawe the line, so that he may alwaies haue a 
 sight thereof, and neuer let the hooke and bayte sinke to the bottome of the water 
 out of sight : but alwaies casting and drawing or moouing the bayte, and keeping it 
 tight, that as soone as the fish doe bite, he giueth a tutch, and so keepes his line tight 
 and lets the fish tyre herselfe on the hooke, and then takes her vp gently, this is the 
 chiefest way to have both line hooke and fish : for in snatching and striking hard 
 when the fish bites, you put your line in daunger, or tearing the mouth of the fish 
 and sometimes so loose him. 
 
 There is also an other kinde of angling for the Pyke, which is called dragging, 
 your hooke beeing armed with wyer for she'ering, when you would dragge for the 
 Pyke, you shall take a small Roch, or a Gogin, and with a needle of wood made 
 thinne and flatte : put it in at the gille, betwixt the skinne and the bodie of the 
 Roch, and so foorth at the taile, and drawe your armed wiar and hooke after, and 
 place your hooke close vnder his gill, and so dragge for him as ye doe for the 
 Darce. If it bee with a single hooke you shall put in your armed wiar at the mouth 
 of the Roch or Gogin, and it will serue well enough, as ye may here se'e by figure, 
 there is to drag with a fine Frogge, and tie the double hooke vnder his necke 
 and hippes. 
 
 Ye may if ye lust, place your double hooke at the mouth of your fish, as is 
 
of fishing. 
 
 23 
 
 declared of the single hooke : but then must you haue the bigger bayte, that the 
 double hooke may lye or ioine close to the head of the baite, and then it ^^all 
 doe well. 
 
 THE SINGLE HOOKE, 
 
 THE DOUBLE HOOKE V.NDER THE GILL. 
 
 THE ARMED HOOKE. 
 
 There is another kind of hooke, calde a proching hooke, which is made without 
 a barke [barbe], this kinde or manner of hookes are to put in a hole in the banke, 
 or betwixt two hordes at a bridge or water, or betwixt two stones where they lie 
 open, for there commonly lieth the great Yeles, and there put in your proch hooke 
 a little way, and if there be'e any ye'eles, they will take it anon : which proch, is wier 
 whipt on a packethre'edes ende, and couered with a great worme, and therewith 
 prochin to the saide holes, asby example for the better vnderstanding, lo here you 
 may s^e the figures. 
 
 THE PROCH VNBAITED. 
 
 THE PROCH HOOKE 
 .ITHOUT THE RODDE. 
 
 THE ROD BAYTED WITH A WORME. 
 
 As soone as ye feele she hath the baite, plucke away your rodde, for it doth 
 nothing but guide your proch into ye holes, and then draw softly your packthreed 
 line, and hold a while and he will yeelde, if you do plucke hastely, he will holde 
 
2 A A Booke 
 
 so stiffe, ye shall breake your line, or teare his mouth : there holde hard still, and 
 at length he will ye'elde, and come foorth. And where ye shall see any hole in the 
 bottome of a brooke or riuer, there is like to lie an yeele, put there in your proch, 
 and he will soone byte if he be there. Thus much for the order of the proch hooke 
 to take the Ye'ele. 
 
 The manner of layifig of hookes. 
 
 There is also a kind of laying of hookes armed for pikes, in pooles and riuers 
 ye shall bayte them as ye bayte the hooke in dragging for the Pyke : and here is to 
 be noted of two maner of layings of hookes, the one way is to the bottome of the 
 water without corke, and the other is with the flote or corke, to cast in your 
 bayted hooke without a corke, it will sinke to the bottome, and then the Ydele will 
 haue it as soon as the Pyke : and it he cannot swallow it, he will byte away the 
 baite by little and httle : therefore to lay from the bottome is best for the Pyke, ye 
 shal cast your bayted hooke and line mth a corke, of what depth ye lust, for so it 
 will not sinke to the bottome. 
 
 Also to lay for the ye'eles, ye shall baite your hookes with menowes, gogins, or 
 loches, great wormes and such like. And to sticke pooles in the bankes, with lines 
 at the endes so that your baites may lie on the bottome of the water, for there the 
 ye'ele will soonest take it, but lay not nigh roots of trees or such, for they will 
 wrappe them so, ye shall neuer come by them. 
 
 Also let your lines be of good great packthr^eke[de], sticking the saide poles or 
 pinnes of wood in the bankes, and your lines to be of two or three fatham, some 
 more, some lesse : and for your proch hooke to baite him with the great worme, or 
 the menowe is best, or with a Loch, or small Gogin, so if a great yeele come, he 
 will swallowe it hole. Thus much for laying of hookes for the Pyke and Ye'ele. 
 
 Also to take ye'eles in winter, some haue vsed to lay in pondes or running 
 waters, faggots of hay, with a bough of Willow put in the middest, and bayted with 
 some garbage of foule or beastes, bound with tvvo bondes, and to plucke it vp (after 
 it hath laine two or three daies) with hooke or corde, and you shall haue y^eles 
 
of fishing, 25 
 
 therein : when it is a lande do but crush it with your foote and the yeeles will come 
 out if there be any. If ye lay it in the middest of a riuer, you may plucke it into 
 your boate. Thus you may take many ydeles in winter. 
 
 Here is Jiozv to sane and preseruc fish. 
 
 For so much as I haue afore shewed certaine waies and practises how to take 
 fish in riuers, pooles, and standing waters. I will here declare certaine waies how 
 for to maintaine fish, and the chiefest waies to saue and preserue them in rivers, 
 pooles, and standing waters, against such deuourers and rauerers [raueners] as hath 
 and will destroy them, as Heme, the Dobchicke, the Coote, the Cormorant, the 
 Sea-pie, the Kings fisher and such like : as also the Otter, which is a common 
 destroier of pondes and standing waters, and a great deuourer of and spoyler of 
 riuers, brookes, and running waters, which shall be declared in their places. 
 
 The Herjie. 
 
 And first, to take the Hearne, which destroyes much young fish or other, if they 
 come nigh the shallow places or bankes : the Hearne is fearefuU and subtil) for to 
 take, therefore some do bayte a hooke, or proch hooke with a Menow or other 
 small fish, or with the gobbet of some Ye'ele, then make your line green e, or like 
 the water where she hauntes in a shallow place or other where she resorts, there put 
 in your pinne in the earth of the shallow water, and lay your baite so that she may 
 wade halfe a feete d^epe \Tito it, for else the Kite or Crow will soone haue it, for 
 she will soone swallow it and so be taken. 
 
 The Otter. 
 
 They take the Otter or water Wolfe, in a wele made and deuised for the nonce, 
 as shall be shewed in his place, which wele is not made in all points like vnto other 
 weles, where he will eate the fish and come foorth againe safe before he be drowned. 
 
 E 
 
26 A Booke 
 
 Therefore ther is inuented among the fisher men, a wele for to take him made with 
 a double teme or tonnell, and against the vtmost teme within is set an yeirne like 
 a gredyeirne with foure hooles staying and sliding vpon two romid stickes, which 
 must be set vpright in the wele before the teme, to holde vp the yeirne : which two 
 stickes must be fast bound to the wele, both aboue and beneath, then must ye haue 
 a good stiffe rod, the one ende shall be set ouer the wele to hold vp the gredyeirne 
 or grate, and the other ende of the rodde, must reach ouer the inner teme, and a 
 small oziar tied at the end of the rodde, which small Oziar must be made with a 
 round knot, and so put downe vpon the ende of the nethermost Oziar in the midst 
 of the inner teme, but a very litle way put on that when the Otter is within the first 
 teme, he comes to the second where the fish is, and there he put off the Oziar, and 
 the rodde flirtes vp, and the gredyerne falles and stoppes the vtmost teme where he 
 came in, and as soon as he heares it fall, he will turn backe, without touching any 
 fish, gnawing at the gredyerne where hee came in, and so is drowned. 
 
 And when ye haue a wele of fish robbed with the Otter, or your layer of weles 
 with fish spoyled and robbed with the Otter, there lay your Otter Wele, well bayted 
 with fish, and so ye shall soone take him. Which Otter Wele must be made of 
 good round Ozyars of the Hasell rodde or gore rodde, for those are the best. 
 These Otter Weles are made at Twyford, by sides Reading. There be two of the 
 Gootheriches which Hues much by making of such, and other weles. Also the Otter 
 wele is made at Dorney, by Windsor, by one called Twiner. If your Otter wele be 
 olde, and not strong, and if the Otter chaunce to breake it and scape, ye shall 
 hardly take him of a long time after, for he is very subtill to be caught again e in 
 such a wele. There be that hath prouided many wayes ere they could take him. 
 Thus much he'ere for the setting of the Otter Wele, and here shall follow the saide 
 Otter Wele, with his proportion how to be made and set, the more easier to make 
 them where as they haue not beene scene before. To know if an Otter do haunt 
 riuer or ponde, you must watch the waters in the night, then shall you heare him 
 plunging and chasing the fish all night by efts and bankes sides, so watch or else 
 your fish may be kilde and you know not how nor when. 
 
of fishing. 
 
 27 
 
 Here folloiveth tJie Otter Wek, 
 
 The fashion of the Otter wele, with two handels aboue the better to lay him, he 
 must be three quarters and more, betwixt teme, and teme in length. 
 
 This figure vnder shewes the setting of the gredyeme, before the teme of the 
 
 wele, and when he falles, to rest on two stiffe oziars on the lower part of the sayde 
 teme, ye make see aboue : but when ye shall set or tyle the saide gredyeme, it must 
 be pluckt vppe aboue the mouth of the Teme, which tenies mouth, all the oziars 
 
 must be cut euen by the wreth, saue those two that must holde vp the gredyeme 
 beneath as ye may se'e. Which mouth of the teme, must be betwixt vi. and vij. 
 
28 A Booke 
 
 inches deepe, so that a good pretie dogge may creepe therein : for if it too Httle, the 
 Otter will then gnaw the wele, also the gredyerne must fall easily on the two stickes 
 that stay him, and the gredierne to be broder then the mouth of the teme, which 
 gredierne must be put in the wele when the wele is a making, because it can not be 
 put in whenit is made, except ye make it with pla>ing ioyntes on the middle vane 
 to folde, but on the one side of the gredierne, and so ye may set him in, and take 
 him out when the wele is made, or when you wall at any time. They do vse to 
 make him wdthout any ioyntes, but plaine and all flat barres, setting to foure round 
 hoopes, of yeirne on the foure corners of the gredierne : which gredierne is made 
 with fine flat barres, and so vsed, wajing about two pound weight, because it may 
 fall the sooner. 
 
 For the Water-ratte. 
 
 The Water-rat is a hurtfull vermin to kill fish, especially Creuis, Loches, Culles, 
 and Trowtes lying in holes of the banke. They will soone destroy much other fish 
 and spaune in shallow riuers and brookes, to kill them it is hard to doe : but where 
 as ye shall see their path on bankes sides, there set a deadfall, for they do range 
 abroad a nights like other Rats, and will be where as is com milles, and fulling 
 milles, to eate come, and gnaw clothes, and liues much like to other Rattes, and 
 will pill oziar barkes and such like. Also to take them in weles is hard, except the 
 weles lie shallow, and nigh the toppe of the water by the banke : so a small Otter 
 wele made for the nonce ba}1:ed, may possible deceiue them. They cannot tarrie 
 long vnder water, wherefore they will not hunt deepe, nor robbe weles if they lie 
 deepe, for they commonly take fish nigh the toppe of the water. But some men 
 doe thinke a ver}' good way to take them, that is : to pinne square hordes against 
 the holes where they haunt, which hordes must haue a great hole in the middest, 
 and set iust against her comming in or out, fast pinde to the bankes : then make 
 a latch and set it on the out side of the borde, tyld as you tyle the Fore latch, as ye 
 
of fishing. 29 
 
 shall see in his place : which hole in the borde on the nether part, ye shall set thre'e 
 or foure prickes of ozar to holde any thing that comes out or in. This practise may 
 easely be made. 
 
 To lay poysoned baites, as pe'eces of che'ese, flesh or such, and to straw the 
 powder of Orsenike thereon, to be layde in efts, where other things come not. I 
 knowe not what good it \\all doe, for whereas ye touch anything with your bare 
 hande, they will not lightly come at it. Thus much for taking the water Rattes 
 or Otter. 
 
 To prcseriie spazvne in spawning time. 
 
 A chiefe way to saue spawne of fish, in March, Aprill, and May, is thus, ye shall 
 make fagots of wheate, or rie strawe, all whole strawe not bruised, or of reede, 
 binde these faggots together with thrde bondes, and all about thereon sticke of 
 young branches of willowe. Then cast them in the water among wdedes, or by the 
 bankes, and put in each faggot two good long stakes, driuen fast to the ground, and 
 let your fagots lie couercd in the water halfe a yeard or more. So the fish will come 
 and shed their spawne thereon, and then it will quicken therein, so that no other 
 fish can come to destroy or eate it, and as they waxe quicke they will come forth 
 and saue themselues. Thus much for the preseruing of spawne in the spring and 
 spawning time : this is a good practise to preserue the spawne of all scaled fish. 
 These fagots ye may make and lay in all riuers, poundes, or standing waters. Your 
 fagots had ne'ede to be a yeard and a halfe long, and bound with thre'e bandes not 
 hard, two bandes a foote from the endes, and an other band in the middest, and 
 lay them as I haue afore declared. Also some doe vse to hedge in corners in riuers 
 and pondes with willow, and thereon fish doe cast their spawne and so breedes. 
 
so 
 
 A Booke 
 
 The 7namier of way to take Sea-pies. 
 
 The Sea-pie is a foule that vseth the seas, and breedes much in Hands in the 
 sea, and Hues most by fish and wormes, and where as they vse in fresh riuers, they 
 destroy much fish, young fi-ie, and such as swimmes nigh the toppe of the water, 
 and will be in shallow places of the water : and there they haunt to take and feede 
 on them. Therefore the fisher men haue inuented a way howe to take them, which 
 is : ye shall lyme two small Oziars, and binde the ends that are next the bayte, 
 almost crosse wise. Then take an other short sticke, and binde the one end vnto 
 yotu: ends of crosse twigges as ye may se'e afore, and put that short sticke through 
 the fish or bayte. Then lay it on some water leafe, rushes, or such like in the 
 midst of the riuer, and as soone as they shall see it, they will take and flie away 
 with it in their bylles, and soone they shall be lymed therewith. 
 
 The other way of laying these limed twigges is, ye shall put a small short sticke 
 in the bayte, as yee may se'e a fore. And at the hinder ende tye a thre'ed an intch 
 long, and to that thre'ed tic our lymed twigges, and when she takes and flies away 
 with it, she cannot flie fane but she will be lymed, for the twigs will turne and 
 touch her vidngs, and then she will fall. Thus ye may take many Sea-pies, both in 
 sommer and Winter, and the like way ye may take both Crowes and other Pyes, 
 
of fishing. 31 
 
 to take the Kyte therewith, he will hardly be lymed, because he takes the bayte in 
 his feete, and the other takes it in their billes. Thus much here for the taking 
 of the Sea-pie. 
 
 Here shall folloiu the knowledge how to re- 
 plenisJi your fish pondes. 
 
 For to saue and maintaine in mayers, pooles, and standing waters, for such as 
 haue not riuers, it shall be good to saue, keepe, and maintaine all such fish as may 
 be nourished and bred in fresh waters : as Pyke, Breame, Tench, Perch, Troute, 
 Darce, Roch, and such like, and the Carpe for one of the best, which hath not 
 bdene here in Englande but of fewe yeares past. The Trout will not like but in 
 running and swift waters, and hard grauell at the bottom. The slymie fish is the 
 Tench, the Seacod, and the Ye'ele, and yet they are cowmended for a good fe'eding 
 meat for man, but many will disdaine the firesh yeele, and esteeme it as a flaggie 
 and slymie meate, saying : he will gender with the water snake, which thing pos- 
 sible may be, but the ydele of the fresh riuer is tryed a good and holsome meate, 
 you shall haue also the Lampre, and the Lamporne, which are called venemous fish 
 of the Sea, but when they haue scraped and clensed them in the fresh run- 
 ning waters. Notwithstanding, they are then good and holesome meat. The 
 excrements of standing pooles are frogges, which in many places being well drest, 
 they eate like fish, and is calde a kinde of fish, and doe taste aswell as a young 
 poullet, for I tasted my part of many. 
 
 It is a good thing to haue plentie of fresh water fish, in riuers and pooles, and 
 standing waters : and a great pleasure for man sometimes to take with his angle a 
 dish of fish in those waters whereas fish is plentie and well preserued, not to vse 
 any other engins, but with the hooke : and by such meanes as the lawes of this 
 
32 A Booke 
 
 realme doth permit and allow, not to vse fire, handguns, crossebowes, oyles, oint- 
 ments, pouders, and pellets made to cast in the waters to stonny and poyson the 
 fish, nor yet to vse all sorts of nets, and such as are deuourers of fish, as bow nets, 
 casting nets, small trammels, shoue nets, and draught nets : which are destroyers of 
 fish before they are growen to any bignesse. These are not nieete to be vsed but 
 of certaine Gentlemen in their seuerall waters, I would wish no running waters 
 should be let to any fisher man, without order what mesh, what nets, he or they shall 
 vse to fish with, and in what moneths of the yeare to refraine fishing, vpon paine to 
 forfaite his lease and all such engins. 
 
 Also it shall be good for all Gentlernen and others, hauing the gouernment of 
 any riuers, brookes, or standing pooles, to replenish them with all such kinde of 
 fish as may there be preserued or bred, aswell of straying as others. There is a 
 kinde of fish in Holand, in the fennes beside Peterborrow, which they call a poult, 
 they be like in making and greatnesse to the Whiting, but of the cuUour of the 
 Loch : they come foorth of the fenne brookes, into the riuers nigh there about, as 
 in Wansworth riuer there are many of them. They stirre not all the sommer, but 
 in winter when it is most coldest weather. There they are taken at Milles in 
 Welles, and at wayers likewise. They are a pleasant meate, and some do thinke 
 they would be aswell in other riuers and running waters, as Huntington, Ware, and 
 such like, if those waters were replenished with them, as they may be with small 
 charge. They haue such plentie in the fenne brookes, they feede their hogges with 
 them. If other riuers were stored with them, it would be good for a common 
 wealth, as the Carpe which came of late yeares into England. Thus much for the 
 fenne pult. 
 
of fishing. 33 
 
 Of de using your pondcs from weedes. 
 
 If you will haue profite of your fish, in your pondes and pooles, ye must haue a 
 care alwayes to dense them from thre'a yeare to three yeare, in taking away all 
 weedes, rushes, and flagges, for they doe greatly stuffe and trouble the fish, and 
 makes them to be more slymie, and of a worser taste. Likewise ye must see 
 alwayes for Otters and Water-rats, haunting your pondes and pooles : ye'e shall best 
 know if there be any in the night season, for then they hunt abroad for fish : then 
 seeke to take them by such means as afore mentioned, which else they will soone 
 destroy all your fish. Also it is not good to suffer any to shute with guns nie your 
 ponds and riuers, for it feares and astonish the fish greatly, and worst of all in 
 spawning time, and many will die thereof: ye may watch the haunt of the Otter 
 and Ratte, and strike them if yde can with the trowte speare, which is a very good 
 thing to kill them, if it be well done, for so many haue be'ene kilde. 
 
 Here shall be shczvcd a care of laiiing your pondes 
 
 in sailing the water where it is scant for 
 
 to saue your fish a Hue. 
 
 In lauing your pondes and pooles, the greatest care is (if there be any scant of 
 water) to kdepe and bestow it so, that the water which is cast foorth, may remaine 
 nie the sides of your pondes and pooles, that ye may recouer it soone againe to 
 saue the rest of your fish, while ye dense forth the weedes and mudde, which will 
 let the water to come quickly to the scoopes. Therefore it shall be best to dense 
 the sides and bankes first of all : in hauing all such tooles readie, as shall be ndede- 
 fuU thereunto : as mattockes, spades, shoules, scauells, scoopes, and such like : to 
 dispatch it as quickly as ye can. And when the water is lower than the Rat-hole 
 in the bankes, ye may set such engins afore their holes to kill them at their comming 
 out as afores-aide, for they will lye alwaies in the holes aboue the water, to smother 
 
 F 
 
34 -^ Booke 
 
 them in their holes ye shall hardly doe, if ye then let them scape, they will soone 
 conuay them selues away in the night or before night, and will runne very swift. 
 Thus miich for lauing your pondes. 
 
 TJiere is also a care ahvaycs to maintaine your pits 
 and stiiis with fish. 
 
 How your pits and stuis should be vsed to keepe fish in, your stues and pits 
 ought to bee oft renued and helpt with great and small fish from time to time, and 
 refreshed often with small fish among : for if you doe alwaies take, and none put to, 
 your store shall soone decrease. It shall be good also to put carefully your fish 
 therein, both small and great, and see that none be hurt if ye may, to put a Tench 
 with them it shall do well. And shall be very good husbandrie, to pricke and set 
 about the bandes [bankes], of willow, sallo, or alder, which will be good to defend 
 the heate in sommer, from your fish, and to auoide the colde in winter : but the 
 falling of leaues will increase mudde greatly, and also stinch your pondes. 
 
 How to nourish your fish in pooles, niayers, 
 and stafiditig waters. 
 
 It is most certaine, the fish which is in riuers, and running waters, are at more 
 libertie then those which are closed in pondes and pits : for those in running waters, 
 the water bringeth to them alwaies some what to fe'ede on, and there also the small 
 fish doe nourish the great, but the fish inclosed can get no such thing. Therefore it 
 shalbe good to cast vnto them of small fish, and of guts and garbage of fish and of 
 beasts, and figges cut small, and nut curnels broosed, or broosed wheate, wormes, 
 graines of bruinges, white bread, all sortes of salt fishes cut and hackt in small pe'eces, 
 and such like. If your fish nourish and fat not with these, ye must fe'ede them with 
 the frettes or gubbins of market fish of the fishmongers : if yet they be leane, it 
 
of fishing. 35 
 
 shewes plaine they were taken from the seas, which fish are raueners, or they haue 
 come from riuers nigh the seas, but the fish in pondes are restraint from these 
 liberties. Therefore continually they must be fedde. 
 
 Of the taking of fish diiierse wayes. 
 
 There is diuerse raaner of wayes in taking fish, in some places according to the 
 Countrie, and the nature of great waters is one, and of riuers and pooles, is an other 
 where they inhabite : so likewise is the diuersitie of the fish. Also in fishing, some 
 manner of fishing is in the Seas, an other manner is in swe'ete waters, an other 
 manner for great fish, an other manner for ye'eles, other wayes for Roches and small 
 fish, an other way for the Carpe, and such like. Now seeing there is so many 
 diuersities in taking fish, it will be hard to expresse and long to write. Wherefore 
 here I leaue that knowledge to those that vse to fish, and sell in markets. In 
 speaking here in generall of the commodities for the father and his famelie, in taking 
 of fish for the common wealth, whereof the principall maner is, with nets, weiles, 
 lines and hookes. Thus I haue shewed of replenishing your pondes to haue plentie 
 of fish, and clensing your pondes from we'edes, and a care for your emptie pondes, 
 and how to maintaine your pits and stues \sith fish. Also to nourish the fish in your 
 standing waters, and declaring of diuers waies in taking of fish. Thus much taken 
 of StepJuxnus in French. 
 
 Pour Auiorcer, or gather Tortues. 
 
 Take Salarmoniacke eight drams, of Scalion Onions one dram, the fat of veale 
 ten drams. So beate them together, and being made in pellets like beanes, cast 
 them by their haunt to the Tortues, and they will come themselues to the smell 
 thereof, and so ye may take them. 
 
36 A Booke 
 
 To make it drie. 
 
 Take the Ides of strong wine mixt with oyle, and put it in a place where ye 
 know it will drie, let it so remaine till it waxe blacke, and they will come to the 
 place, where the ofle shall be put, and so ye may take them. Ye may take also 
 Salarmoniack thirteene drams, and the butter of goates milke eight drams, beate 
 together, and make small soft pellets thereof, and therewith rubbe what graine, or 
 small lynseede not broken, but dride : and they will fe'ede there all about, and will 
 not depart, and straite way ye may so take them. 
 
 To take Loches or small fish. 
 
 Take the branne of wheate meale, two pound, of lenten pease, halfe a pound, 
 mixe them together, and beate them with a sufficient quantitie of brine, and put 
 thereto halfe a pound of sessame. Then shall ye part it in pieces, and throw them 
 here and there : for as soon as ye haue thrown it in the water, all the small fish will 
 come vnto it, and remaine in one place, although they be 300. paces off. Also ye 
 may take the bloud of an Oxe, Goate, Sheepe, or of a Hogge, with the dung that is 
 in the small guts of them. Also of time, peniryall, le'ekes, sauerie, margarum, 
 garlick, with the le'es of good wine, of each in like, with the grease or marow of 
 the saide beastes, so much as ye sdeme good : beate them a part, and then mixe 
 them a like together, and so make small pellets thereof, and cast it where ye will haue 
 the fish to come an houre before ye cast in your lines : or else take the bloud of a 
 blacke Goate, the le'es of good wine, of barley meale, all in like portion : beate 
 them all together with the lites of a Goate, and then cut them in small peeces and 
 make pellets therof, and so vse them as aboue sayde. 
 
of fishing. 37 
 
 Another way. 
 
 Take halfe a pound of garlick, of burnt sessarae as much, of pouliot, of organic, 
 of time, great margerum, of sauerie, of wild stauisacre, of ech two and thirtie drams, 
 of barley meale, one pound, of wheate as much, and of the barke of a Frankinsence 
 tree thirteen drams, worke all together with branne, and cast it to the fish, and they 
 will assemble thereabout. 
 
 To take Perch. 
 
 The Perch is not so easily taken with hooke, nets, or bownet, but rather with 
 proper baites made and vsed in a troubled water : therefore ye must make baites 
 with the liuer of a Goate, and the snaile, or take the yellow butter flie which flyeth : 
 of Goates whay, called fromage de cheureau of each foure drams, opopauicis two 
 drams, hogges bloud foure drams, galbony foure drams, beate all well together, 
 and sprincle it all ouer with pure wine, and make thereof small pellets, or as ye 
 make perfumes, and drie them in the shade. 
 
 To take the Samo7i as ivell in the Riiier, 
 as in the Sea. 
 
 Take eight drams of Cockes stones, and the curnels of pine apple tre'e burnt, 
 sixteene drams ; beate all together a like, till it be in maner of a meale. Another. 
 Take the seedes of wilde Rue, eight drams : the fat of a veale, eyght drams : of 
 Sessame, thirteene drams, beate all together, and make small loaues thereof, and vse 
 them as the other before mentioned. Thus much more taken from Sicphanus in 
 French. 
 
38 A Booke 
 
 To take much fish by a light in the 7iight. 
 
 Ye shall distill in a lembeck of glasse, a quantitie of glowormes that shineth at 
 night, with a soft fire, and put the distilled water into a thin viall of glasse, and 
 thereunto put foure ounces of quicksiluer, that must be purged or past thorough 
 leather, or Kidde skinne. Then stoppe the glasse that no water enter, and tie it in 
 the midst of your bow net for breaking, and so cast it in the water, and the fish will 
 soone come vnto the light, and couet to enter into the net, and so ye shall take 
 many. And some doth suppose if ye doe but take a certaine of those glowormes, 
 and put them in a thinne viole or glasse, and then stoppe it close, and tie it in the 
 net, then will shine as well and giue as much light. But then I doubt they will not 
 long be aliue without meate, except ye put herbes vnto them in the day and let 
 them feede, and vse them in the night as before. So yee may reserue them for your 
 purpose (I thinke) a long time. 
 
 To take YMes in the winter in haye or 
 straw bottles. 
 
 Ye shall make long fagots of hay, wrapt about willow boughes, which ye shall 
 put in the midst of your bottle or faggot of hay, and then sinke it in the de'epe by 
 the banke, and so let it lie two or three dayes, and tie a wythe or rope thereunto 
 that ye may soone plucke it vp on land or boate : and so ye shall take yeeles 
 therein good store, in a colde weather very good. And if ye baite or lay in your 
 faggotte guttes or garbedge of a beast, yde shall be the more certaine to haue them 
 in a small time. 
 
of fishing. 
 
 39 
 
 How to brcede and increase yeeles in riuers, 
 pondes, and standing waters. 
 
 The common saying among fisher men is, if ye wil haue in your pits and pondes 
 (being of a swdete water) great plentie of Yeeles in few yeares, ye shall digge two 
 round or square turfes, whereon the dewe shewes most in the morning before the 
 sunne doe rise. Then take them vp and clappe the greene sides together one vpon 
 another, and pin them fast together with prickes of wood. Then carrie and lay 
 them softly in what pit or pond ye list, and ye shall see experience. This is to be 
 done in the moneth of May, by the dew then on the ground, and at no other time 
 else of the yeare to be good. 
 
 The Gase for to catch Menowes. 
 
 This Gase, is a round net of small mesh, with a hoope of yeirne, or great weir 
 halfe an intch about, and to let sinke in a ditch, or brooke which is not deepe, and 
 
40 A Booke 
 
 so holde it a while by three strings like a ballans, with a loope in the toppe, and 
 therein to put through a staffe or poale, and yee shall haue within a while so many 
 Menowes which will come and gase at it, as will couer it : ye must hang a small 
 plommet in the middest, to make it sinke. And also the roundes must be flat 
 oyster shelles tyde to, and the squares must be scarlet or red cloth sowed on : your 
 hoope and net, may be three quarters and a halfe of a yeard broad from side to 
 side. Thus much for the Gase. 
 
 How to bobbe for yccles. 
 
 There is also a taking of yeeles with great wormes drawen through on a long 
 thre'ede one by an other, and then feulded up thre'e fingers de'epe, and then tyde 
 aboue all together, and a bigge string tide thereunto, and fastened vnto a short 
 poale, which ye shall holde in your hand. This is vsed to bobbe at the comming 
 of a floud water, and at the ebbing water of any water that ebbes and flowes. Also 
 it is vsed after a great raine in brookes and running waters, ye must let your bobbe 
 touch the bottome, and so vp with it softly againe, and so vse it still, and ye shall 
 fdele when any ydele doe bite : then pluck it vp not very fast, for then he will for- 
 sake the worme he hath hold of, and as soone as he feeles the ayre, he will 
 le'ese his holde, therefore ye must haue a vessell on the water alwaies readie, that 
 he'e may fall therein. Thus much for the bobbing for yeeles. 
 
of fishing. 41 
 
 The ycele speare to take yeeles. 
 
 The Otter Speare. 
 
 The Ydele speare is made with fiue thinne barres, cut in the sides with teeth, to 
 holde that ye'ele that is within them, and made with thicker and rounder plates 
 aboue toward the socket, which socket must be made strong, and therein put your 
 poale or stafFe, which they vse in mudde, riuers, and brookes, to take a dish of 
 ye'eles at pleasure : but it is euill to vse the ye'ele speare whereas there is Teech 
 [Tench], or Carpe, for they will commonly lie in the mudde when the water is beaten 
 or troubled, and thereby they may soone be striken and die thereof. 
 
 The Otter speare is vsed when a man hunteth the Otter in riuers or brookes, 
 when as a man shall chance to see him vent aboue the water, then to throw the 
 speare at him, which speare hath a line tide at the ende, and a small boxe fastened 
 at the end of the line, that when ye'e haue stricken him, ye shall the sooner perceiue 
 him where he diueth in the riuer. Or if ye chaunce to finde him lying out of the 
 water, there to strike him, and let him go into the water, and so kill him. 
 
42 
 
 A Booke 
 
 To breede Millars-thitmbcs and LocJies, in shallow 
 brookes or I'iuers. 
 
 The fishes called Loches, and the other called Millars-thumbes or Culles, they 
 alwayes feede in the bottome of brookes, and riuers. They are fish holesome to be 
 eaten of feeble persons hauing an ague, or other sicknesse. These fish delight to be 
 in sandie grauell in riuers and brookes, and they are very easie to be taken with 
 small trauell, in remouing the stones where they lie vnder, for they cannot swim 
 fast away. Therefore in certaine shallow riuers and brookes, they do vse to breede, 
 and saue them ye may inlaying round heapes of pebble stones or flint, in shallow 
 places of the saide riuers and brookes, halfe a foote de'epe of water or lesse. Like 
 as there is a shallow riuer running from Barcamstede to Chestum, and so to Chaue : 
 also by Croydon and other places, wherein they might breede of the saide fish 
 great store, if they were so giuen. The like riuer runnes in Hampeshiere by sides 
 Altum, increasing by diuerse springes, and runnes shallow in many placed [places], 
 
of fishing. 43 
 
 and by a certaine parish there called the Parson thereof hath tolde me, he 
 
 hath had so many of the saide Culles and Loches, to his tithe we'ekely, that they 
 haue founde him sufficient to eate Fridayes and Saterdayes, whereof he was called 
 the Parson of Culles. This order of stones are laide hollow in shallow places lesse 
 then halfe a foot de'epe of water. Which fish among the saide heapes of stones 
 doth there lie safe, and so breedes : and there they are saued from the water Rats, 
 and all other foules, which otherwise would still deuour them. These store of fish, 
 men might haue in diuerse such like riuers in this Realm, if they would take the 
 like paine, to lay such heapes of stones as is aboue set downe : which sheweth the 
 maner of laying them round in the bottome, the circuit of two yeardes about, or as 
 yee shall sde cause. Thus much I thought good to shew for the maintenance and 
 breeding of Culles and Loches. Also it is euident in other Countries, the great 
 care they haue in preseruing their fish, especially in the spring : as in France, no 
 fisher men or other, shall lay any engins in riuers or brookes in the night, as stewes, 
 stalles, buckes, keepes, weles, and such like, from mid March, to mid May : for then 
 the fish doeth shed their spawne among weedes and bushes, nor shall not beate the 
 waters or brookes with any plonging poales, nor yet the fisher men to fish at no 
 time, with any net vnder foure inches mash, because they shall not kill the small 
 fish before they are well growen, vppon paine of forfaite and losse of all such 
 engins. There is also prohibited, that no fish shall be taken and solde in markets, 
 which are out of their season : as the Lampre and Lampomes, which are venemous 
 in the Sea before they be scoured in fresh water, and not in season from mid iSIarch 
 to raid September, for they will (being out of season) looke russet and speckled vpon 
 their bellies. Also Oysters and Muskles, are not good from mid ?^Iarch, to mid 
 September : and likewise Salmons and Trowtes, are in season from mid IMarch to 
 mid September, and after waxe out of season. Cockles and such are not kindly 
 but in the monethes of March, Aprill and May : all the rest of the yeare not hole- 
 some to be eaten or solde. Moreouer Darce, Roch, Perch and such like, are not 
 kindly to be kilde from mid March, to the end of May, for in these times they doe 
 cast their spawne, and then they will be rough and broken, scaled and pilde for a 
 while, after they haue so cast their spawne. And being then out of season, they 
 are not so holesome nor yet good of liking. All these afore mentioned with all 
 
A A A Booke 
 
 other which are out of season, are forbid to be taken and solde in markets, or other- 
 wise priuely eaten, vpon the Uke penaltie afore mentioned. I would to God it were 
 so here with vs in England, and to haue more preseruers, and lesse spoylers of fish 
 out of season and in season : then we should haue more plentie then we haue 
 through this Realme. Also I would wish that all stoppe nets, and drags with 
 castino- nets, were banished in all common riuers throught this Realme for three 
 moneths : as in March, Aprill, and May, wherein they take fish out of season as 
 well as others, with great spoyles of spawn e, both of great and small fish, for they 
 vse such nets with small mesh, that kils all fish afore they come to any growth and 
 good seruice for the common vvealth. Who so euer doe preuent such, they shall 
 doe c^ood to the common wealth. And water Bayles which are appointed to see for 
 such nets in riuers, and running streames (which is thought) they neglect their duties, 
 for they let the fisher men vse what nets they list, as the voyce goes ; and Gentlemen 
 which owes the waters lets them also alone, and the fisher men they say they pay 
 such rents, they must take what they can, so herein are none yat cares for the pre- 
 seruing of the common wealth : whereby fish cannot increase, nor yet suffer to growe. 
 So I leaue, wishing that carefull men were put in office, and such as fauours the 
 common wealth, and all other put out that se'ekes for their owne profite onely. 
 Then should we'e haue within fewe yeares, much plentie of all riuer fish, and also a 
 great sparing to flesh, if they would vse fish as they were woont on Frydayes, 
 Saterdayes, and fasting dayes commanded by our Prince, and so truely kept of all 
 people, from time to time. 
 
 The breeding of Creuis. 
 
 The fresh water Creuis, commonly liues and lyes in bankes and holes in riuers 
 and brookes, and they are a holesome fish for all sickne and weake persons. They 
 will cast their spawne in the spring about the moneth of May, and will shed it on 
 stones, and we'edes in the bottome, whereof most is eaten up with ye'eles and water 
 rats, as some do suppose. Therefore it were not vnme'ete to make fagots of hole 
 strawe to saue the spawne as aforesaide. Also they will soone be driuen with 
 
of fishing. 
 
 45 
 
 flouds downe the streame, in few yeares they will greatly increase, if they be not 
 taken with mens handes, and kild with Rats for they will lie in holes and vnder 
 stones, and we'edes, and so are soone taken : for they cannot flie fast away. If they 
 bo taken in May, it will be a great spoyle of their increase, for commonly then they 
 
 doe shed their spawne. The Water-rat is also a great deuourer of them lying in 
 holes : and whereas many rats are, they cannot lightly prosper or increase there. 
 Thus much for the fresh water Creauis. Ye may store any brooke or riuer with 
 the Creuis, but especially he loues the sandie and grauely running waters. 
 
 The Kinges fisJier. 
 
 There is a bird which is a great destroyer of all young fry and small fish, and 
 he is called the Kinges fisher : he is about the bignesse of a Larke, and doth com- 
 monly bre'ede in bankes, sides of riuers and brookes, in the spring of the yeare : his 
 feathers are gre'ene and blewe, and he will alwayes haunt about the sides of riuers 
 and brookes, whereas small fish is, and as soone as he hath caught a fish, he will 
 straight way flie to the next bough, and there will sit on a ^vigge and eate the fish, 
 and so fetch an other. Thus he liueth by the deuouring of all sortes of small fiie, 
 such as he may take and carrie away. For to take this birde, they vse to marke 
 
46 A Booke 
 
 where his haunt is, and there they set downe a bush or branch, and they put a 
 limed twigge vnder the saide bush or branch : for so soone as he hath taken a fish, 
 he will flie to the next bush and light on that vnder twigge lymed, and so they take 
 him. Also they say this bird, being dead, if he be hanged vp by the bill with a 
 threed in your house where no winde bloweth, his brest will alway hang against the 
 winde, whereby ye may knowe perfectly in what quarter the winde is at all times, 
 both night and day. Thus much of the bird called the Kings fisher. 
 
 TJie Cormorant. 
 
 The Cormorant is also a great destroyer of fish, h^e vseth the fresh waters, and 
 will diue vnder the water, and will take and eate fish of thre'e and foure yeares 
 growth. How to take or destroy them I know not well, otherwise then to destroy 
 their nests in breeding time, whereas they breede in Hands, and rockes by the sea : 
 some may be destroyed in riuers and pooles, with crossebow, or hand gun, other 
 wayes I haue not knowen or heard of, not with lime lines except it be in the night, 
 and then they will pike them soone cleane againe. 
 
 The DobcJiicke. 
 
 The Dobchicke is likewise a water fowle, and they will be alwayes commonly 
 on riuers and pooles, and they are nigh as great as the Teales, and are of cullour 
 blacke, and they will commonly diue vnder the water to take young fish, as I haue 
 sdene in riuers and brookes. Howe for to take them, the fisher men some doe vse 
 to lay on the water long lines of small threede knit full of little corkes, a handfuU 
 a sunder on the line, and cut foure square like bigge dice, and so limed and fold on 
 aracle [a rackle], as I shall shewe hereafter : and where they se'e them haunt, they 
 
of fishing. 
 
 47 
 
 will spread the saide line afore them on the water, and then with their boats, driue 
 them to the sayd line, and so many are taken. Thus much for taking the 
 Dobchickes. 
 
 This racklc, turnes rounde of the middle staffe, and as ye se'e the thre'ed Hmed 
 with small corkes, that is fold thereon, so long as ye shall haue it of length to lie 
 on the water, and each corke to be but foure fingers a sunder, or lesse, shall 
 suffice. 
 
 The More-coote or bmild Coote kils fish also. 
 
 The More henne or bauld coote. Hues likewise on waters, and they also eat fish 
 if they can take them. To kill or take these, I know no other way, but with lime, 
 or with the gunne, or such like to kill them. 
 
 The making of a ivater lime, a verie good and 
 a perfect way. 
 
 Ye shall first wash your birdlime in running water, that no knots be found 
 therein, nor yet motes, but pike them out as cleane as ye can in the washing. Then 
 take and boyle it in a pot or skillet, and in the boyling put in a little rosome, with 
 
48 A Booke 
 
 some fresh grease, or goose grease, and so let it boyle softly a pretie space in storing 
 it stil. Then take off the same lime, and put it to a weat testorne in water, if it 
 come with the lime, it is good, if not, boyle it longer vntil ye see that proofe. Also 
 in steede of rosom, ye may take white turpentine, for that is better. And this kinde 
 of water lime, will holde both in water and frostie wether. 
 
 The Ospray. 
 
 The Ospray is a bird like a Hawke, nie as bigge as the Tarcell of a goshawke, 
 he liueth by fish, and is a great destroyer of fish : for I haue s^ene him take fish in 
 the middest of a great ponde, they say he hath one foote like a Ducke, and the 
 other like a Hawke, and as he flies nie ouer the water, the fish will come vp vnto 
 him. Howe to take him I know no other way but to watch v/here he prayes to eate 
 his fish, for he will flie to some tree there aboutes, and there to kill him with the 
 hand gunne, which I have scene in Hampshire. Thus much for the Ospray. 
 
 The tempering of bird-lime, and it will serue 
 also well in water. 
 
 Take a pound of bird lime, cleanse and wash it in running water verie cleane 
 that no knots be left therein. Then beate out the water and drie it againe. Then 
 put thereto two spoonefuls of sharpe vinegar, and so much goose grease as will 
 make it subtill to runne : and put therto halfe a spoonefull of lampe oyle, and 
 a litle Venice Turpentine. Then boyle all these together in an earthen leaden 
 panne, and sturre it alwayes, and let it but bubble and play softly. Then take 
 it off the fire, and so reserue it and vse it at your pleasure, warme it v/hen you 
 will haue the vse thereof 
 
of fishing. 49 
 
 Lime made of Misteltoo. 
 
 Dyoscorides sayth, they do gather the berries in Automne, in the full of the 
 Moone, (for then they are of most force) and then they broose them, and so let 
 them lie for a space and rotte, and then they wash them in running water, till they 
 be cleane like other lime, and therewith they doe take birdes, as with other birde 
 lime, made of Holly barkes. 
 
 A prctie way to take a Pye. 
 
 Ye shall lime a small thr^ede, a foote long or more, and then tie one end about 
 a p^ece of flesh so bigge as sht^e may flie away withall : and at the other end of the 
 thrded, tie a shoe buckle, and lay the flesh on a post, and let the thr^ede hang 
 downe, and when she flies away with it, the threede with the buckle will wrappe 
 round her, and then she will fall, so ye may take them. 
 
 FINIS, 
 
GLOSSARY. 
 
 Bought, 20, sb., the bend or loop of the line. 
 Bozard, 15, sb., the buzzard. 
 Bracked, 15, /./., barked, stained with bark. 
 Branded, 6, adj., brindled, streaked. Cf. 
 brandling (Halliwell). 
 
 Creuis, creauis, 44, sb.pl., crayfish. 
 Cull, 12, sb., the miller's thumb, or bullhead 
 {Cot t us gobio). 
 
 Delay, 13, v., to soften. 
 Dobchicke, 46, sb., the dabchick. 
 
 Efts, 26, sb.pl., probably the slack water under 
 the tail-end of islands, &c. (Professor Skeat 
 says, " I suspect eft to be the A.S. aft, aft.") 
 
 Fenne pult, 32, sb., the burbot or eel-pout 
 
 {Lota vulgaris). 
 Flaggie, 31, adj., flabby, insipid. 
 Flirtes, 26, v., springs up. 
 Frettes, 34, sb.pl. , trimmings of salt fish. 
 Furmantie, 8, sb., frumenty or frumety, i.e. 
 
 husked wheat boiled. 
 
 Gagin, 21, sb., the gudgeon {Gobio fluviatilis). 
 
 Galbony, 37, sb., galban or galbanum. 
 
 Gauld, ID, p.p.i galled, i.e., with gall removed. 
 
 Gobbet, 25, sb., a morsel. 
 
 Goldes, 17, sb.pl., marigolds {Calendula offici- 
 nalis, L.). 
 
 Googing, 10; gogin, 10; googine, 10, sb., the 
 gudgeon {Gobio fluviatilis). 
 
 Gore, 26, sb., a spear, A.S., gdr. (Professor 
 Skeat suggests that the "gore rodde " or 
 spear-shaft-rod, was probably of ash, seeing 
 that the A.S. (esc means either ash or spear.) 
 
 Grayled, 4, probably an error for brayled (ringed), 
 used in the 1496 edition of the "Treatyse." 
 The first quarto has brayscd. 
 
 Gredyeirne, 26, gredyerne, gredierne, sb., 
 gridiron. 
 
 Gubbins, 34, sb.pl., trimmings of salt fish. 
 
 Half e-a-mile- way, 17, = ten minutes. 
 Hove, I, v., to hover. 
 
 luneba, 4, sb., the river lamprey {Petromyzon 
 fluviatilis). This is probably the proper form 
 of the word printed Inncba in the 1496 edition 
 of the "Treatyse," but corrected to luneba in 
 the subsequent quarto edition from the same 
 press. 
 
 Lenten pease, 36, lit. spring peas. 
 Lets, 3, sb.pl., impediments. 
 Littid, 15, /./., dyed. Icel. lita, to dye. 
 Lowpcr, 15, sb., leaper. 
 
 Mayers, 31 and 34, probably a printer's error for 
 
 ■wayers, weirs. 
 Moorish, 19, adj., colour of peat. 
 
 Neppe, 12, sb., cz.\.-x£ixa.i {N'epeta cataria, L.). 
 
 Ofle, 36, sb., offal. 
 
 Opopauicis, 37, sb., opopanax. (Mascall's printer 
 
 has mistaken n for ti.) 
 Organic, 37, sb.,ma.r]0'C3.m{0rganumvulgare,L.). 
 
 Plunket, 17, sb., a kind of blue colour obtained 
 
 from woad. 
 Pouliot, 37, sb., penny-royal {Mentha pulegium). 
 
 Pouliot is used by the French writer from whom 
 
52 
 
 Glossary. 
 
 Mascall is translating, but was never an Eng- 
 lish name of the plant, though Piiliol royal 
 occurs in the old Herbals. Both names come 
 from pulegium, and this from the fact (?) which 
 Pliny mentions: " flos recentis inconsuspvilices 
 necat odore" (Lib. xx., cap. xiv.). 
 
 Poult, 32, pult, 32, sb., the burbot or eel-pout 
 {Lota vulgaris). 
 
 Proch, II, proching hooke, 23, lit. the hook 
 pushed near. Fr. proche. 
 
 Rackle, 47, sb., a small rack or frame with 
 
 spindle for winding up a line. 
 ■ Rosom, 49, sb., resin. 
 
 Scauell=, 33, sb.pl., probably the same as the 
 Suffolk word scaffcl (Hallivvell), a small spade 
 used in draining, and having the edges slightly 
 turned up. 
 
 Sheering, 22, pr.p., shearing, cutting. ("For 
 sheering," writes Professor Skeat, is "to 
 prevent its being shorn or cut." In M.E., _/i7r 
 has the very remarkable sense of "against" or 
 "in order to prevent." " For percing of his 
 herte " = to prevent his heart being pierced, 
 is found in Chaucer's Sir Thopas.) 
 
 Shoules, 33, sb.pl., shovels. 
 
 Sow-worme, 7, sb., the wood-louse. 
 
 Stonny, 32, v. to stun. 
 
 Stuis, 34, sb.pl., stews. 
 
 Suckering, 2, pr.p., succouring, sheltering. 
 
 Swooly, 2, adj., overpowering, sultry. Siveal, 
 to bum. 
 
 Tarcell, 49, sb., tercell, the male bird. 
 
 Teme, 26, sb., an emptying-place, outlet. Cf. 
 
 tee}7i (Halliwell). 
 Testorne, 48, sb., a testern, sixpence. 
 Tonnell, 26, sb., a tunnel. 
 Tortues, 35, French, tortoises. 
 Tutch, 22, sb., touch. 
 Tyle, 27, v., to get ready, prepare. Cf. teel, to 
 
 set a trap (HaUiwell). 
 
 Weat, 48, adj., wet. 
 
 Welbede, 5, sb., whether a wood-louse, a centi- 
 pede or millepede, I am uncertain. For 
 the first, Mascall has sow-~ciiorme, but this 
 word is his own, "rough like a welbede" 
 coming from the first edition of the "Trea- 
 tyse." "IVelbede is evidently miswritten." 
 notes Professor Skeat, '^iox welbode, Six\d bode 
 would be the old spelling of bud, which we 
 have in sham-bud." This word (?) under the 
 form of bug has taken new root across the 
 Atlantic, and appears to be applied to insects 
 generally. Here, in one particular instance, 
 both forms have survived: the lady -bird, i.e. 
 lady-bicd, is also called the lady-bug. 
 
 Wele, 27, sb., a basket for catching fish. 
 
 Wixen, 17, sb., greenweed {Genista tinctoria, L.). 
 
 Wood-fatte, 17, sb., woad-vat. 
 
 Wreth, 27, sb., a twisted band. 
 
 Yeele, II, sb., the eel. 
 Yeirne, 26, sb., iron. 
 
14 DAY USE ^^ 
 
 1 RETURN TO DESK FROM WHICH BORROWED 
 
 LOAN DEPT. 
 
 :>3 >^ 
 
 LD21A-60m-8,'70 
 (N8837sl0)476 — A-32 
 
 General Library 
 
 University of Califortua 
 
 Berkeley 
 
 5^-^^ 
 

 
 
 o #.i 
 
mmm