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THE OTTER AND HIS NATURE 41

iryns and of polcattes for no gooa hunter goop to
woode wip his houndes in entente to hunte for hem
ne pe wyde Cat neiper. Napeless oper while as men
seche a Couerte for pe fox and may non fynde pe houndes
hap to fynde hym and pan pe huntere retoycep his
houndes for pe exploit of his houndes and also for tt
is vermyn that pei renne to, Of conynges speke I not
for no man hunteth for hem but 3it it be bisshhunters
and pei hunte hem with ferettis and wip long smale
haies what Racches pat rennen to a Cony tn ony tyme
hym ou3t to be astried sayeng to him lowde ware
Riot ware for non oper wilde best in Engelond ts
callid ryott sauf pe Conynge alonly.”

no good hunter goes to the wood with his hounds
intending to hunt for them nor for the wild cat
either. Nevertheless when men seek in covert for
the fox and can find none, and the hounds happen
to find them and then the hunter rejoiceth his
hounds for the exploit of his hounds, and also
because it is vermin that they run to. Of conies I
do not speak, for no man hunts them unless it be
fur hunters,’ and they hunt them with ferrets and
with long small hayes. Those raches that run to
a coney at any time ought to be rated saying to
them loud, ‘‘ Ware riot, ware,’ for no other wild
beast in England is called riot save the coney only.”

! Fur hunters, Bissh, bise, bys, a fur frequently mentioned in early records. See Appendix: Bisshunters.

2 See Appendix: Riot.