THE MASTER OF GAME

CAP. xvii—OF SAYNOLFES AND OF
HERE NATURE

AnopeR maner of houndes per is that byn clepid
houndis for pe hauke and spaynels, for pe nature
of hem commeb from Spayn not wipstondyng pat
per ben many in oper cuntres, and soche houndes
havyn many good custumes and euel, also a faire
houn[d] for pe hauke shuld haue a greet heede and
greet body and of faire hew or white or Tawne!
for pei ben pe fairest and of such hewe pei byn
commonly best. A good spainel shuld not be to
rough jough but his taile shuld be rough. The
good custumes pat soche houndis hauyn byn pise
pei louen wel here maistris and felowe hym
without lesyng, poo pei be in greet prees of men,
And comonly pei goon bi fore hure maistre ren-
nyng and playeng with here taile and reyson or
sterten foules and wild beestis but here ryght craft
is of pe perterich and of pe quale. It is a good
ping to a man pat hatha good goshauke or tercelle
or sparhauke for pe parterich to haue soche
houndes, and also whan pei byn itaught to be
couchers” pei byn good for to take pe parteriche
and pe quaile with a nette, and also pei byn good
whan pei ben taught to swymme and to be good
for pe revere, and for foules whan pey byn dyued.
But in pat oper side pei han many evil condicions
after pe contre pat pei byn common of. Fora
contre draweth to ii natures of men clepen of
beestis and of foules, and as men clepyn grei-
houndes in ende of Scotland of Bretayn® 3i3th so
pe alauntez and pe houndes for pe hauke commen
out of Spayn, and pei drawen aftire be nature of
pe* generacion of which bei commen. Houndes
for pe hauke byn fighters and grete baffers, and if
he lede hem on huntyng among rennyng houndes
what beest that 3e hunte to, she shal make hure
come out, for pei wil go bifore now hider now
pider as wel whan pei fayllen as whan pei goon a
right and leden pe houndes about and makyn hem
ouersheet and faile. Also if ye lede greihoundes
with and oper be oon hounde for pe hauke pat is
to say a spaynel 3if he se geet, kyen or hors, oxen
or oper beestis he wil renne anoon, and bygynne
to baffe at hem and bycause of hem be grei-
houndes shall renne perto for to take pe beest

porgh his eggyng for he wil make al be ryot and

CHAP. 17.—OF SPANIELS AND OF
THEIR NATURE

ANOTHER kind of hound there is that are called
hounds for the hawk and spaniels, for their kind
come from Spain, notwithstanding that there are
many in other countries. And such hounds have
many good customs and evil. Also a fair hound
for the hawk should have a great head, a great
body and be of fair hue, white or tawny,1 for they
be the fairest, and of such hue they be commonly
best. A good spaniel should not be too rough
though his tail should be rough. The good quali-
ties that such hounds have are these: they love
well their masters and follow them without losing,
although they be in a great crowd of men, and
commonly they go before their master, running
and wagging their tail, and raise or start fowl and
wild beasts. But their right craft is of the par-
tridge and of the quail. It is a good thing to a
man that hath a noble goshawk or a tiercel or a
sparrow hawk for partridge, to have such hounds.
And also when they are taught to be couchers,?
they are good to take partridges and quail with a
net. And also they are good when they are taught
to swim and are good for the river, and for fowls
when they have dived, but on the other hand they
have many bad qualities like the country that they
come from. For a country draweth to two natures
of men, of beasts, and of fowls, and as men call
greyhounds of Scotland and of Britain,’ so the
alauntes and the hounds for the hawk come out of
Spain, and they take after the nature of the genera-
tion, of which they come. Hounds for the hawk
are fighters and great barkers if you lead them a
hunting among running hounds, whatever beasts
they hunt to they will make them lose the line,
for they will go before now hither now thither, as
much when they are at fault as when they go right,
and lead the hounds about and make them over-
shoot and fail. Also if you lead greyhounds with
you, and there be a hound for the hawk, that is to
say a spaniel, if he see geese or kine, or horses,
or hens, or oxen or other beasts, he will run anon
and begin to bark at them, and because of him
all the greyhounds will run to take the beast through
his egging on, for he will make all the riot and all

1G. de F. has ‘“‘ blanc ou tavelé” (white or speckled)—tavelé meaning speckled, or spotted, or mottled.

2 Setters, from coucher, to lie down. G. de F.: “chien couchant”’ (p. 113). : :

8 Brittany. In Shirley MS. “England” precedes “Scotland.” G. de F. says nothing about England or
Scotland. He says ‘“ Bretainhe,’’ meaning Brittany (p. 113).

4 G. de F. says “ bad” generation. See Appendix: Spaniel.

 

VARIOUS

KINDS OF

SPANIEES