THE MASTER OF GAME

CAP™. xx.—HOW pE KENEL FOR pE
HOUNDIS AND HOW PE COUPLES
FOR pE RATCHES AND pE ROPIS
FOR THE LYMERE SHULD BE
MAKYD

Tue houndes kenel shuld be of x fadmys of
lengthe and y. of brede, if pere be many houndes,
and per shuld be oon door bifore and anober
behynde, a faire grene where the sonn shynep al
pe day from pe morn to pe Evyn, and pat grene
shuld be closed about with a pale, or wip a walle
of erthe or ston, of pe same lengthe and brede pat
pe houndes kenel is of. And pe hidre door of
pi kenel shuld alway be opyn by cause pat pe
houndes may go with oute to play hem whan hem
likep for it is a grete likyng for pe houndes whan
pei may goon in and out at here lust, for pe
mamewe comme} to hem be lattere.! And in be
kenel shuld be picched small stonys” iwrapped
about with strawe of pe houndes litere in to pe
nombre of vi stonys pat pe houndes myght pisse
pera3enst also a kenel shuld have a gootere or ii
wherby al pe pisse of pe houndes and alle of waters
may renne out pat noon abide in pe kenel. The
kenel shuld also be a lowe hous and nou3t in a
solere but per shuld be a loft aboue by cause that
it my3t be more warme in wynter and coldere in
somer. And alway bi nyght, and bi day I wil pat
some childe lye or be in be kenel wip be houndes
for to kepe hem from fyghteng. Also in pe kenel
shuld be a Chymene for to warme pe houndis,
whan pei ben a cold or whan pei ben wete or for
reyne or for passyng and swymmyng of Revers.
Also he shuld be taught for to spynne heere of
hors for to take couples for pe houndes be whiche
shuld be made of pe heere of an hors taille or of
a mares taile for pei ben best and lasten bettir pan
if pei were of hempe or of wolle, and pe houndes
couples shuld be of length bitwen the houndes a
foot and pe Rope of pe limer iii fadom and an
half and be he neuer so wise a lymer it suffisep,
pe which rope shulde be maked of leder of an hors skyn
wel itawed.

CHAP. 20.—HOW THE KENNEL FOR
THE HOUNDS AND THE COUPLES
FOR THE RACHES AND THE ROPES
FOR THE) LYMER SHOULD! BE
MADE

THE hounds’ kennel should be ten fathoms in length

and five in breadth, if there be many hounds.
And there should be one door in front and one
behind, and a fair green, where the sun shines all
day from morning till eve, and that green should
be closed about with a paling or with a wall of
earth or of stone of the same length and breadth
as the hounds’ kennel is. And the hinder door
of the kennel should always be open so that the
hounds may go out to play when they like, for it
is a great liking to the hounds when they may go
in and out at their pleasure, for the mange comes
to them later." In the kennel should be pitched
small stones* wrapped about with straw of the
hounds’ litter, unto the number of six stones, that
the hounds might piss against them. Also a
kennel should have a gutter or two whereby all
the piss of the hounds and all the other water may
run out that none remains in the kennel. The
kennel should also be in a low house, and not in
an upper chamber, but there should be aloft above,
so that it might be warmer in winter and cooler
in summer, and always by night and by day I
would that some child lie or be in the kennel with
the hounds to keep them from fighting. Also in
the kennel should be a chimney to warm the hounds
when they are cold or when they are wet with rain
or from passing and swimming over rivers. And
also he should be taught to spin horse hair to make
couples for the hounds, which should be made of
a horse tail or a mare’s tail, for they are best and last
longer than if they were of hemp or wool. And
the length of the hounds’ couples between the
hounds should be a foot, and the rope of a limer
three fathoms and a half, be he ever so wise a limer
it suffices. The which rope should be made of
leather of a horse skin well tawed.

1 For they are not likely to get the mange so soon.
2G. de F. says “sticks,” p. 118.

 

EE

KENNEL

AND

KENNELMEN