Alamon in
his parablys sayth that a good spyryte makyth a flourynge
aege / that is a fayre aege & a
longe. And syth it is soo : I aske this
questyon / . whi | che
ben the meanes & the causes that enduce a man in
to a mery spyryte. : Truly to my beste
dyscrecōn it semeth good dysportes & honest gamys
in whom a man Ioy | eth wythout ony
repentannce after. Thenne folowyth it yt gode
dysportes & honest games ben cause of mannys fayr
aege & longe life. And therfore now woll I chose
of foure good dispor | tes & honeste
gamys / that is to wyte : of
huntynge : hawkynge : fysshynge : &
foulynge. The beste to my symple dyscrecōn
why | che is fysshynge : callyd
Anglynge wyth a rodde : and a lyne
{2} and an
hoke / And therof to treate as my symple
wytte may suffyce : both for the sayd
reason of Salamon and also for the reason that phisyk
makyth in this wyse (¶ Si tibi deficiant medici medici
tibi fiant : hec tria mens leta labor
& moderata dieta.
¶ Ye shall vnderstonde that
this is for to saye / Yf a man lacke
leche or medicyne he shall make thre thynges his leche
& medycyne : and he shall nede neuer
no moo. The fyrste of theym is a mery thought. The
seconde is labour not outrageo. The thyr | de
is dyete mesurable. Fyrste that yf a man wyll
euer more be in mery thoughtes and haue a gladde
spyryte : he must eschewe all contraryous
company & all places of debate where he myghte
haue ony occasyons of malencoly. And yf he woll haue a
labour not outrageous he must thenne ordeyne him to his
her | tys ease and pleasaunce wythout studye
pensyfnesse or trauey | le a mery occupacyon
whyche maye reioyce his herte : & in
why | che his spyrytes may haue a mery
delyte. And yf he woll be dy | etyd mesurably
he must eschewe all places of ryotte whyche is cause of
surfette and of syknesse / And he must
drawe him to pla | ces of swete ayre and
hungry : And ete nourishable meetes and
dyffyable also.
Ow thenne woll I dyscryue the
sayd dysportes and ga | mys to fynde the
beste of theym as veryly as I ca / alle
be it that the ryght noble and full worthy prynce the
du | ke of Yorke late callid mayster of
game hath discryued the myr | thes of
huntynge lyke as I thynke to dyscryue of it and of
alle the other. For huntynge as to myn entent is to
laboryous / For the hunter must alwaye renne
& folowe his houndes : traueyllynge &
swetynge full sore. He blowyth tyll his lyppes blyster And
whan he wenyth it be an hare full oft it is an hegge hogge
Thus he chasyth and wote not what. He comyth home at euyn
rayn beten pryckyd : and his clothes torne
wete shode all myry Some hounde loste : some
surbat. Suche greues & many other hapyth vnto the
hunter / whyche for dyspleysaunce of theym
yt loue it I dare not reporte. Thus truly me
semyth that this is not the beste dysporte and game of
the sayd foure. The dyspor | te and game of
hawkynge is laboryous & noyouse also as me semyth.
For often the fawkener leseth his hawkes as the {3} hunter his hoūdes.
Thenne is his game & his dysporte goon. Full often
cryeth he & whystelyth tyll that he be ryght euyll
a thur | ste. His hawke taketh a bowe and
lyste not ones on hym rewar | de. whan he
wolde haue her for to flee : thenne woll
she bathe.
with mys fedynge she shall haue the
Fronse : the Rye : the Cray and
many other syknesses that brynge theym to the Sowse.
Thus by prouff this is not the beste dysporte &
game of the sa | yd foure. The dysporte
& game of fowlynge me semyth moost symple For in the
wynter season the fowler spedyth not but in the moost
hardest and coldest weder : whyche is
greuous. For whan he wolde goo to his gynnes he maye not
for colde. Many a gynne & many a snare he makyth.
Yet soryly dooth he fare. At morn tyde in the dewe he is
weete shode vnto his taylle. Many other suche I cowde
tell : but drede of magre makith me for to
leue. Thus me semyth that huntynge & hawkynge &
also fowlynge ben so laborous and greuous that none of
theym maye perfourme nor bi very meane that enduce a man to
a me | ry spyryte : whyche is
cause of his longe lyfe acordynge vnto yt sayd
parable of Salamon. ¶ Dowteles thee folowyth it that it
must nedes be the dysporte of fysshynge wyth an angle.
For all other manere of fysshyng is also laborous and
greuous : often makynge folkes ful wete
& colde / whyche many tymes hath be
seen cause of grete Infirmytees. But the angler maye haue
no colde nor no dysease nor angre / but
yf he be causer hymself. For he maye not lese at
the moost but a lyne or an hoke : of
whyche he maye haue store plentee of his owne
makynge / as this sym | ple
treatyse shall teche hym. Soo thenne his losse is not
greuo | us. and other greyffes maye he not
haue / sauynge but yf ony fisshe breke away
after that he is take on the hoke / or
elles that he catche nought : whyche
ben not greuous. For yf he faylle of one he maye not
faylle of a nother / yf he dooth as
this treatyse techyth : but yf there
be nonght in the water. And yet atte the leest he
hath his holsom walke and mery at his ease. a swete
ay | re of the swete sauoure of the meede
floures : that makyth hym hungry. He hereth
the melodyous armony of fowles. He seeth the yonge
swannes : heerons : duckes : cotes
and many other fou | les wyth theyr
brodes. / whyche me semyth better than
alle the {4} noyse
of honndys : the blastes of hornys and the
scrye of foulis that hunters : fawkeners
& foulers can make. And yf the angler take
fysshe : surely thenne is there noo
man merier than he is in his spyryte. ¶ Also who soo
woll vse the game of anglynge : he must
ryse erly. whiche thyng is prouffytable to man in
this wy | se / That is to
wyte : moost to the heele of his soule.
For it shall cause hym to be holy. and to the heele of
his body / For it shall cause hym to be
hole. Also to the encrease of his goodys. For it shall
make hym ryche. As the olde englysshe prouerbe sayth
in this wyse. ¶ who soo woll ryse erly shall be holy
helthy & zely.
¶ Thus haue I prouyd in myn
entent that the dysporte & game of anglynge is the
very meane & cause that enducith a man in to a mery
spyryte : Whyche after the sayde parable
of Salomon & the sayd doctryne of phisyk makyth a
flourynge aege & a longe. And therfore to al you that
ben vertuous : gentyll : and
free borne I wryte & make this symple treatyse
folowynge : by whyche ye may haue
the full crafte of anglynge to dysport you at your
luste : to the entent that your aege maye
the more flou | re and the more lenger to
endure.
F ye woll be
crafty in anglynge : ye must fyrste
lerne to make your harnays / That is
to wyte your rodde : your lynes of
dyuers colours. After that ye must know how ye shall
angle in what place of the water : how
depe : and what ti | me
of day. For what manere of fysshe : in
what wedyr How ma | ny impedymentes there
ben in fysshynge yt is callyd anglynge And
in specyall wyth what baytys to euery dyuers fysshe
in e | che moneth of the yere. How ye
shall make your baytes brede where ye shall fynde
theym : and how ye shall kepe theym. And
for the moost crafty thynge how ye shall make youre
hokes of stele & of osmonde / Some
for the dubbe : and some for the
flote : & the grounde. as ye shall here
after al thyse fynde expressed o | penly
vnto your knowlege.
¶ And how ye shall make your
rodde craftly here I shall teche you. Ye shall kytte
betwene Myghelmas & Candylmas a fayr staffe of a fadom
and an halfe longe : & arme grete of
hasyll : wy | lowe : or
aspe. And bethe hym in an hote ouyn : &
sette hym euyn Thenne lete hym cole & drye
a moneth. Take thenne & frette {5} hym faste wyth a
cockeshotecorde : and bynde hym to a fourme
or an euyn square grete tree. Take thenne a plūmers wire
that is euyn and streyte & sharpe at the one ende. And
hete the shar | pe end in a charcole fyre
tyll it be whyte : and brenne the staffe
therwyth thorugh : euer streyte in the pythe
at bothe endes tyll they mete. And after that brenne hym in
the nether ende wyth a byrde broche / &
wyth other broches eche gretter than other. & euer
the grettest the laste : so that ye make
your hole aye tapre wexe. Thenne lete hym lye styll and
kele two dayes. Unfrette hym thee and lete hym drye in
an hous roof in the smoke tyll he be thrugh drye ¶ In the
same season take a fayr yerde of gre | ne
hasyll & beth hym euyn & streyghte. and lete it
drye with the staffe. And whan they ben drye make the yerde
mete vnto the hole in the staffe : vnto halfe
the length of the staffe. And to per | fourme
that other halfe of the croppe. Take a fayr shote of
blac | ke thor : crabbe
tree : medeler. or of Ienypre kytte in
the same se | ason : and
well bethyd & streyghte. And frette theym togyder
fe | tely : soo that the
croppe maye iustly entre all in to the sayd hole. Thenne
shaue your staffe & make hym tapre wexe. Thenne
vyrell the staffe at bothe endes wyth longe hopis of
yren or la | ton in the clennest wise
wyth a pyke in the nether ende fastnyd wyth a rennynge
vyce : to take in & oute youre croppe.
Thenne set your croppe an handfull within the ouer
ende of your staffe in suche wise that it be as bigge
there as in ony other place abo | ue.
Thee arme your croppe at thouer ende
downe to ye frette wyth a lyne of .vj. heeres.
And dubbe the lyne and frette it fast in ye
toppe wyth a bowe to fasten on your lyne. And thus
shall ye make you a rodde soo preuy that ye maye walke
therwyth : and there shall noo man wyte where
abowte ye goo. It woll be lyghte & full nymbyll to
fysshe wyth at your luste. And for the more redynesse loo
here a fygure therof in example. :
Fter that ye haue made thus
your rodde : ye must lerne to coloure
your lynes of here in this wyse. ¶ Fyrste ye must take
of a whyte horse taylle the lengest heere and {6} fayrest that ye can
fynde. And euer the rounder it be the better it is.
Departe it in to .vj. partes : and euery
parte ye shall colour by hymselfe in dyuers colours. As
yelowe : grene : browne : tawney : russet.
and duske colours. And for to make a good grene
co | lour on your heer ye shall doo
thus. ¶ Take smalle ale a quar | te
and put it in a lytyll panne : and put
therto halfe a pounde of alym. And put therto your
heer : and lete it boylle softly half an
houre. Thenne take out your heer and lete it drye. Thenne
ta | ke a potell of water and put it in a
panne. And put therin two handfull of ooldys or of wyxen.
And presse it wyth a tyle stone : and lete
it boylle softly half an houre. And whan it is yelow on
the scume put therin your heer wyth halfe a pounde of
copo | rose betyn in powdre and lete it
boylle halfe a myle waye : and thenne sette
it downe : and lete it kele fyue or syxe
houres. The take out the heer and drye it. And
it is thenne the fynest grene that is for the water. And
euer the more ye put therto of copo | rose
the better it is. or elles in stede of it vertgrees.
¶ A nother wyse ye maye make more brighter
grene / as thus Lete woode your heer in an
woodefatte a lyght plunket colour And thenne sethe hym in
olde or wyxin lyke as I haue sayd : sauynge
ye shall not put therto neyther coporose ue vertgrees.
¶ For to make your heer yelow dyght it wyth alym
as I haue sayd before. And after that wyth oldys or
wyxin wythout copo | rose or vertgrees. ¶ A nother
yelow ye shal make thns. Ta | ke smalle
ale a potell : and stampe thre handful of
walnot leues and put togider : And put in
your heer tyll that it be as depe as ye woll haue it. ¶ For to make russet
heer. Take stronge lye a pynt and halfe a pounde of sote
and a lytyll iuce of walnot le | uys & a
quarte of alym : and put theym alle togyder
in a panne and boylle theym well. And whan it is colde
put in youre heer tyll it be as derke as ye woll haue
it. ¶ For to make a
brow | ne colour. Take a pounde of sote and
a quarte of ale : and seth it wyth as many
walnot leuys as ye maye. And whan they wexe blacke sette
it from the fire. And put therin your heer and lete it lye
styll tyll it be as browne as ye woll haue it.
¶
For to make a nother browne. Take strong ale and sote and
tempre them togyder. and put therin your heer two dayes
and two nyghtes and it shall be ryght a good colour.
{7}
¶ For to
make a tawney coloure. Take lyme and water & put theym
togyder : and also put your heer therin foure
or fyue hou | res. Thenne take it out and put
it in a Tanners ose a day : and it shall be
also fyne a tawney colour as nedyth to our purpoos
¶
The syxte parte of your heer ye shall kepe styll whyte for
ly | nes for the dubbyd hoke to fysshe for
the trought and graylyn | ge and for smalle
lynes for to rye for the roche and the darse.
Han your heer
is thus colourid : ye must knowe for
whi | che waters and for whyche seasons
they shall serue.
¶ The grene colour in all
clere water from Apryll tyll Septembre. ¶ The yelowe
coloure in euery clere water from Septembre tyll
Nouembre : For it is lyke ye wedys
and other manere grasse whiche growyth in the waters and
ryuers whan they ben broken. ¶ The russet colour seruyth
all the wynter vnto the ende of Apryll as well in ryuers
as in poles or lakys ¶ The browne colour seruyth for that
water that is blacke de | disshe in ryuers or
in other waters. ¶ The tawney colour for those waters that
ben hethy or morysshe.
Ow must ye make youre lynes in this wyse. Fyrste loke that ye haue an Instrument lyke vnto this fygure portrayed folowynge. Thenne take your heer & kytte of the smalle ende an hondfull large or more / For it is neyther stronge nor yet sure. Thenne torne the toppe to the taylle eue | ryche ylyke moche. And departe it in to thre partyes. Thenne knytte euery part at the one ende by hymself. And at the other ende knytte all thre togyder : and put ye same ende in that other ende of your Instrument that hath but one clyft. And sett that other ende faste wyth the wegge foure fyngers in alle shorter than your heer. Thenne twyne euery warpe one waye & ylyke moche : and fasten theym in thre clyftes ylyke streyghte. Take thenne out that other ende and twyne it that waye that it woll desyre ynough. Thenne streyne it a lytyll : and knytte it for vn | doynge : and that is good. And for to knowe to make your Instrument : loo here it is in fygure. And it shall be made of tree sauynge the bolte vnderneth : whiche shall be of yren. {8}