26 THE MASTER OF GAME

hym to some smalle brook, and whan he hathe
bete per inne long vpward or dounward, he abidep
in pe watir vndir some Rootes so that per nys no
ping out of pe watir saaf his houed. And some
tyme pe houndes and the hunters shul passe aboue
hym and beside that he shal not stere, for thougth
he be a foltissh beest 3it he can mony cautels and
gynnes for to helpe hym self he rennep wondir
fast and some tyme at pe partyng for his leire he
shal ouer goo a brace of good greye houndes.
They haunten in strange hattes of wood or in
strong hethys, and somtyme in Carres,’ and
comonly in hie contrees or in hilles and in valeys
and somtyme in playn Cuntre. Here kydes ben
kyded with pomeled* heere as pe hynde Calfes,
and as an hynde calf of pe first yere begynnethe to
put out his heued. In the same wise he puttep
out his smale brokes* or he be xii monyth old.
He is hardeled‘* but nat vndon as an hert, for he
ne hathe no venyson pat men shul ley in salt, and
some tyme he is 3even al to pe houndes, or al or
partie. Thei goon to her metyng as other beestes
don in pe mornyng and in pe Evenynge and pan
pei go to here leire pe Roo buk abidep comonly
in oo Cuntre bop wynter and somer so pat he be
not greued ne huntyd out perof.

yieldeth himself to some small brook. When he
hath long beaten the brook up or down he remaineth
in the water under some roots so that there is nothing
out of water save his head. And sometimes the
hounds and the hunters shall pass above him and

beside him without his stirring. For although

he be a foolish beast, he has many ruses and treasons
to help himself. He runneth wondrous fast, for
when he starts from his lair he will go faster than
a brace of good greyhounds. They haunt thick
coverts of wood, or thick heathes, and sometimes in
marshes,' and commonlyin high countrieswhere there
are hills and valleys and sometimes in the plains.

The kids are kidded with spotted hair as are
the hind calves. And as a hind’s calf of the first
year beginneth to put out his head, in the same
wise does he put out his small spikes® ere he be a
twelvemonth old. He is hardeled* but not undone
as a hart, for he has no venison that men should
lay in salt. And sometimes he is given all to the
hounds, and sometimes only a part. They go to
their feeding as other beasts do, in the morning
and in the evening, and then they go to their lair.
The roebuck remains commonly in the same country
both winter and summer if he be not harried or
hunted out thereof.

Middle English Carres or Ker, marshy ground (Stratmann). G. d. F., p. 40, says, ajoncs, rushes.

2 Spotted, from the old French pomele.
3 See Appendix: Roe.

4 See Appendix: Hardel.

 

 

WIED

BOAR

HUNTING

WITH

HOUNDS