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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6833f05 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text diff --git a/683-8.txt b/683-8.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..b48e1d2 --- /dev/null +++ b/683-8.txt @@ -0,0 +1,6871 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Compleat Angler, by Izaak Walton + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: The Compleat Angler + +Author: Izaak Walton + +Posting Date: June 25, 2011 [EBook #683] +Release Date: October, 1996 +Last Updated: July 11, 2016 + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE COMPLEAT ANGLER *** + + + + +Produced by Tokuya Matsumoto <toqyam@os.rim.or.jp> + + + + + + + +IZAAK WALTON + + + +THE COMPLEAT ANGLER + + + + +To the Right worshipful + +John Offley + +of Madeley Manor, in the County of Stafford + +Esquire, My most honoured Friend + +Sir,--I have made so ill use of your former favours, as by them to be +encouraged to entreat, that they may be enlarged to the patronage and +protection of this Book: and I have put on a modest confidence, that I +shall not be denied, because it is a discourse of Fish and Fishing, +which you know so well, and both love and practice so much. + +You are assured, though there be ignorant men of another belief, that +Angling is an Art: and you know that Art better than others; and that +this is truth is demonstrated by the fruits of that pleasant labour +which you enjoy, when you purpose to give rest to your mind, and divest +yourself of your more serious business, and, which is often, dedicate a +day or two to this recreation. + +At which time, if common Anglers should attend you, and be eyewitnesses +of the success, not of your fortune, but your skill, it would doubtless +beget in them an emulation to be like you, and that emulation might +beget an industrious diligence to be so; but I know it is not attainable +by common capacities: and there be now many men of great wisdom, +learning, and experience, which love and practice this Art, that know I +speak the truth. + +Sir, this pleasant curiosity of Fish and Fishing, of which you are so +great a master, has been thought worthy the pens and practices of divers +in other nations, that have been reputed men of great learning and +wisdom. And amongst those of this nation, I remember Sir Henry Wotton, a +dear lover of this Art, has told me, that his intentions were to write a +Discourse of the Art, and in praise of Angling; and doubtless he had +done so, if death had not prevented him; the remembrance of which had +often made me sorry, for if he had lived to do it, then the unlearned +Angler had seen some better treatise of this Art, a treatise that might +have proved worthy his perusal, which, though some have undertaken, I +could never yet see in English. + +But mine may be thought as weak, and as unworthy of common view; and I +do here freely confess, that I should rather excuse myself, than censure +others, my own discourse being liable to so many exceptions; against +which you, Sir, might make this one, that it can contribute nothing to +YOUR knowledge. And lest a longer epistle may diminish your pleasure, I +shall make this no longer than to add this following truth, that I am +really, + +Sir, + +your most affectionate Friend, + +and most humble Servant, + +Iz. Wa. + + + + +The epistle to the reader + +To all Readers of this discourse, but especially to the honest Angler + +I think fit to tell thee these following truths; that I did neither +undertake, nor write, nor publish, and much less own, this Discourse to +please myself: and, having been too easily drawn to do all to please +others, as I propose not the gaining of credit by this undertaking, so I +would not willingly lose any part of that to which I had a just title +before I began it; and do therefore desire and hope, if I deserve not +commendations, yet I may obtain pardon. + +And though this Discourse may be liable to some exceptions, yet I cannot +doubt but that most Readers may receive so much pleasure or profit by +it, as may make it worthy the time of their perusal, if they be not too +grave or too busy men. And this is all the confidence that I can put on, +concerning the merit of what is here offered to their consideration and +censure; and if the last prove too severe, as I have a liberty, so I am +resolved to use it, and neglect all sour censures. + +And I wish the Reader also to take notice, that in writing of it I have +made myself a recreation of a recreation; and that it might prove so to +him, and not read dull and tediously, I have in several places mixed, +not any scurrility, but some innocent, harmless mirth, of which, if thou +be a severe, sour-complexioned man, then I here disallow thee to be a +competent judge; for divines say, there are offences given, and offences +not given but taken. + +And I am the willinger to justify the pleasant part of it, because +though it is known I can be serious at seasonable times, yet the whole +Discourse is, or rather was, a picture of my own disposition, especially +in such days and times as I have laid aside business, and gone a-fishing +with honest Nat. and R. Roe; but they are gone, and with them most of my +pleasant hours, even as a shadow that passeth away and returns not. + +And next let me add this, that he that likes not the book, should like +the excellent picture of the Trout, and some of the other fish, which I +may take a liberty to commend, because they concern not myself. + +Next, let me tell the Reader, that in that which is the more useful part +of this Discourse, that is to say, the observations of the nature and +breeding, and seasons, and catching of fish, I am not so simple as not +to know, that a captious reader may find exceptions against something +said of some of these; and therefore I must entreat him to consider, +that experience teaches us to know that several countries alter the +time, and I think, almost the manner, of fishes' breeding, but doubtless +of their being in season; as may appear by three rivers in +Monmouthshire, namely, Severn, Wye, and Usk, where Camden observes, that +in the river Wye, Salmon are in season from September to April; and we +are certain, that in Thames and Trent, and in most other rivers, they be +in season the six hotter months. + +Now for the Art of catching fish, that is to say, How to make a man that +was none to be an Angler by a book, he that undertakes it shall +undertake a harder task than Mr. Hales, a most valiant and excellent +fencer, who in a printed book called A Private School of Defence +undertook to teach that art or science, and was laughed at for his +labour. Not but that many useful things might be learned by that book, +but he was laughed at because that art was not to be taught by words, +but practice: and so must Angling. And note also, that in this Discourse +I do not undertake to say all that is known, or may be said of it, but I +undertake to acquaint the Reader with many things that are not usually +known to every Angler; and I shall leave gleanings and observations +enough to be made out of the experience of all that love and practice +this recreation, to which I shall encourage them. For Angling may be +said to be so like the Mathematicks, that it can never be fully learnt; +at least not so fully, but that there will still be more new experiments +left for the trial of other men that succeed us. + +But I think all that love this game may here learn something that may be +worth their money, if they be not poor and needy men: and in case they +be, I then wish them to forbear to buy it; for I write not to get money, +but for pleasure, and this Discourse boasts of no more, for I hate to +promise much, and deceive the Reader. + +And however it proves to him, yet I am sure I have found a high content +in the search and conference of what is here offered to the Reader's +view and censure. I wish him as much in the perusal of it, and so I +might here take my leave; but will stay a little and tell him, that +whereas it is said by many, that in fly-fishing for a Trout, the Angler +must observe his twelve several flies for the twelve months of the year, +I say, he that follows that rule, shall be as sure to catch fish, and be +as wise, as he that makes hay by the fair days in an Almanack, and no +surer; for those very flies that used to appear about, and on, the water +in one month of the year, may the following year come almost a month +sooner or later, as the same year proves colder or hotter: and yet, in +the following Discourse, I have set down the twelve flies that are in +reputation with many anglers; and they may serve to give him some +observations concerning them. And he may note, that there are in Wales, +and other countries, peculiar flies, proper to the particular place or +country; and doubtless, unless a man makes a fly to counterfeit that +very fly in that place, he is like to lose his labour, or much of it; +but for the generality, three or four flies neat and rightly made, and +not too big, serve for a Trout in most rivers, all the summer: and for +winter fly-fishing it is as useful as an Almanack out of date. And of +these, because as no man is born an artist, so no man is born an Angler, +I thought fit to give thee this notice. + +When I have told the reader, that in this fifth impression there are +many enlargements, gathered both by my own observation, and the +communication with friends, I shall stay him no longer than to wish him +a rainy evening to read this following Discourse; and that if he be an +honest Angler, the east wind may never blow when he goes a-fishing. + +I. W. + + + + +The first day + +A Conference betwixt an Angler, a Falconer, and a Hunter, each +commending his Recreation + +Chapter I + +Piscator, Venator, Auceps + +Piscator. You are well overtaken, Gentlemen! A good morning to you both! +I have stretched my legs up Tottenham Hill to overtake you, hoping your +business may occasion you towards Ware, whither I am going this fine +fresh May morning. + +Venator. Sir, I, for my part, shall almost answer your hopes; for my +purpose is to drink my morning's draught at the Thatched House in +Hoddesden; and I think not to rest till I come thither, where I have +appointed a friend or two to meet me: but for this gentleman that you +see with me, I know not how far he intends his journey; he came so +lately into my company, that I have scarce had time to ask him the +question. + +Auceps. Sir, I shall by your favour bear you company as far as +Theobalds, and there leave you; for then I turn up to a friend's house, +who mews a Hawk for me, which I now long to see. + +Venator. Sir, we are all so happy as to have a fine, fresh, cool +morning; and I hope we shall each be the happier in the others' company. +And, Gentlemen, that I may not lose yours, I shall either abate or amend +my pace to enjoy it, knowing that, as the Italians say, "Good company in +a journey makes the way to seem the shorter". + +Auceps. It may do so, Sir, with the help of good discourse, which, +methinks, we may promise from you, that both look and speak so +cheerfully: and for my part, I promise you, as an invitation to it, that +I will be as free and open hearted as discretion will allow me to be +with strangers. + +Venator. And, Sir, I promise the like. + +Piscator. I am right glad to hear your answers; and, in confidence you +speak the truth, I shall put on a boldness to ask you, Sir, whether +business or pleasure caused you to be so early up, and walk so fast? for +this other gentleman hath declared he is going to see a hawk, that a +friend mews for him. + +Venator. Sir, mine is a mixture of both, a little business and more +pleasure; for I intend this day to do all my business, and then bestow +another day or two in hunting the Otter, which a friend, that I go to +meet, tells me is much pleasanter than any other chase whatsoever: +howsoever, I mean to try it; for to-morrow morning we shall meet a pack +of Otter-dogs of noble Mr. Sadler's, upon Amwell Hill, who will be there +so early, that they intend to prevent the sunrising. + +Piscator. Sir, my fortune has answered my desires, and my purpose is to +bestow a day or two in helping to destroy some of those villanous +vermin: for I hate them perfectly, because they love fish so well, or +rather, because they destroy so much; indeed so much, that, in my +judgment all men that keep Otter-dogs ought to have pensions from the +King, to encourage them to destroy the very breed of those base Otters, +they do so much mischief. + +Venator. But what say you to the Foxes of the Nation, would not you as +willingly have them destroyed? for doubtless they do as much mischief as +Otters do. + +Piscator. Oh, Sir, if they do, it is not so much to me and my +fraternity, as those base vermin the Otters do. + +Auceps. Why, Sir, I pray, of what fraternity are you, that you are so +angry with the poor Otters? + +Piscator. I am, Sir, a Brother of the Angle, and therefore an enemy to +the Otter: for you are to note, that we Anglers all love one another, +and therefore do I hate the Otter both for my own, and their sakes who +are of my brotherhood. + +Venator. And I am a lover of Hounds; I have followed many a pack of dogs +many a mile, and heard many merry Huntsmen make sport and scoff at +Anglers. + +Auceps. And I profess myself a Falconer, and have heard many grave, +serious men pity them, it is such a heavy, contemptible, dull +recreation. + +Piscator. You know, Gentlemen, it is an easy thing to scoff at any art +or recreation; a little wit mixed with ill nature, confidence, and +malice, will do it; but though they often venture boldly, yet they are +often caught, even in their own trap, according to that of Lucian, the +father of the family of Scoffers: + + "_Lucian, well skilled in scoffing, this hath writ; + Friend, that's your folly, which you think your wit: + This, you vent oft, void both of wit and fear, + Meaning another, when yourself you jeer._" + +If to this you add what Solomon says of Scoffers, that "they are an +abomination to mankind," let him that thinks fit scoff on, and be a +Scoffer still; but I account them enemies to me and all that love Virtue +and Angling. + +And for you that have heard many grave, serious men pity Anglers; let me +tell you, Sir, there be many men that are by others taken to be serious +and grave men, whom we contemn and pity. Men that are taken to be grave, +because nature hath made them of a sour complexion; money-getting men, +men that spend all their time, first in getting, and next, in anxious +care to keep it; men that are condemned to be rich, and then always busy +or discontented: for these poor rich-men, we Anglers pity them +perfectly, and stand in no need to borrow their thoughts to think +ourselves so happy. No, no, Sir, we enjoy a contentedness above the +reach of such dispositions, and as the learned and ingenuous Montaigne +says, like himself, freely, "When my Cat and I entertain each other with +mutual apish tricks, as playing with a garter, who knows but that I make +my Cat more sport than she makes me? Shall I conclude her to be simple, +that has her time to begin or refuse, to play as freely as I myself +have? Nay, who knows but that it is a defect of my not understanding her +language, for doubtless Cats talk and reason with one another, that we +agree no better: and who knows but that she pities me for being no wiser +than to play with her, and laughs and censures my folly, for making +sport for her, when we two play together?" + +Thus freely speaks Montaigne concerning Cats; and I hope I may take as +great a liberty to blame any man, and laugh at him too, let him be never +so grave, that hath not heard what Anglers can say in the justification +of their Art and Recreation; which I may again tell you, is so full of +pleasure, that we need not borrow their thoughts, to think ourselves +happy. + +Venator. Sir, you have almost amazed me; for though I am no Scoffer, yet +I have, I pray let me speak it without offence, always looked upon +Anglers, as more patient, and more simple men, than I fear I shall find +you to be. + +Piscator. Sir, I hope you will not judge my earnestness to be +impatience: and for my simplicity, if by that you mean a harmlessness, +or that simplicity which was usually found in the primitive Christians, +who were, as most Anglers are, quiet men, and followers of peace; men +that were so simply wise, as not to sell their consciences to buy +riches, and with them vexation and a fear to die; if you mean such +simple men as lived in those times when there were fewer lawyers; when +men might have had a lordship safely conveyed to them in a piece of +parchment no bigger than your hand, though several sheets will not do it +safely in this wiser age; I say, Sir, if you take us Anglers to be such +simple men as I have spoke of, then myself and those of my profession +will be glad to be so understood: But if by simplicity you meant to +express a general defect in those that profess and practice the +excellent Art of Angling, I hope in time to disabuse you, and make the +contrary appear so evidently, that if you will but have patience to hear +me, I shall remove all the anticipations that discourse, or time, or +prejudice, have possessed you with against that laudable and ancient +Art; for I know it is worthy the knowledge and practice of a wise man. + +But, Gentlemen, though I be able to do this, I am not so unmannerly as +to engross all the discourse to myself; and, therefore, you two having +declared yourselves, the one to be a lover of Hawks, the other of +Hounds, I shall be most glad to hear what you can say in the +commendation of that recreation which each of you love and practice; and +having heard what you can say, I shall be glad to exercise your +attention with what I can say concerning my own recreation and Art of +Angling, and by this means we shall make the way to seem the shorter: +and if you like my motion, I would have Mr. Falconer to begin. + +Auceps. Your motion is consented to with all my heart; and to testify +it, I will begin as you have desired me. + +And first, for the Element that I use to trade in, which is the Air, an +element of more worth than weight, an element that doubtless exceeds +both the Earth and Water; for though I sometimes deal in both, yet the +air is most properly mine, I and my Hawks use that most, and it yields +us most recreation. It stops not the high soaring of my noble, generous +Falcon; in it she ascends to such a height as the dull eyes of beasts +and fish are not able to reach to; their bodies are too gross for such +high elevations; in the Air my troops of Hawks soar up on high, and when +they are lost in the sight of men, then they attend upon and converse +with the Gods; therefore I think my Eagle is so justly styled Jove's +servant in ordinary: and that very Falcon, that I am now going to see, +deserves no meaner a title, for she usually in her flight endangers +herself, like the son of Daedalus, to have her wings scorched by the +sun's heat, she flies so near it, but her mettle makes her careless of +danger; for she then heeds nothing, but makes her nimble pinions cut the +fluid air, and so makes her highway over the steepest mountains and +deepest rivers, and in her glorious career looks with contempt upon +those high steeples and magnificent palaces which we adore and wonder +at; from which height, I can make her to descend by a word from my +mouth, which she both knows and obeys, to accept of meat from my hand, +to own me for her Master, to go home with me, and be willing the next +day to afford me the like recreation. + +And more; this element of air which I profess to trade in, the worth of +it is such, and it is of such necessity, that no creature whatsoever--not +only those numerous creatures that feed on the face of the earth, but +those various creatures that have their dwelling within the waters, +every creature that hath life in its nostrils, stands in need of my +element. The waters cannot preserve the Fish without air, witness the +not breaking of ice in an extreme frost; the reason is, for that if the +inspiring and expiring organ of any animal be stopped, it suddenly +yields to nature, and dies. Thus necessary is air, to the existence both +of Fish and Beasts, nay, even to Man himself; that air, or breath of +life, with which God at first inspired mankind, he, if he wants it, dies +presently, becomes a sad object to all that loved and beheld him, and in +an instant turns to putrefaction. + +Nay more; the very birds of the air, those that be not Hawks, are both +so many and so useful and pleasant to mankind, that I must not let them +pass without some observations. They both feed and refresh him; feed him +with their choice bodies, and refresh him with their heavenly voices. I +will not undertake to mention the several kinds of Fowl by which this is +done: and his curious palate pleased by day, and which with their very +excrements afford him a soft lodging at night. These I will pass by, but +not those little nimble musicians of the air, that warble forth their +curious ditties, with which nature hath furnished them to the shame of +art. + +As first the Lark, when she means to rejoice, to cheer herself and those +that hear her; she then quits the earth, and sings as she ascends higher +into the air and having ended her heavenly employment, grows then mute, +and sad, to think she must descend to the dull earth, which she would +not touch, but for necessity. + +How do the Blackbird and Thrassel with their melodious voices bid +welcome to the cheerful Spring, and in their fixed months warble forth +such ditties as no art or instrument can reach to! + +Nay, the smaller birds also do the like in their particular seasons, as +namely the Laverock, the Tit-lark, the little Linnet, and the honest +Robin that loves mankind both alive and dead. + +But the Nightingale, another of my airy creatures, breathes such sweet +loud musick out of her little instrumental throat, that it might make +mankind to think miracles are not ceased. He that at midnight, when the +very labourer sleeps securely, should hear, as I have very often, the +clear airs, the sweet descants, the natural rising and falling, the +doubling and redoubling of her voice, might well be lifted above earth, +and say, "Lord, what musick hast thou provided for the Saints in Heaven, +when thou affordest bad men such musick on Earth!" + +And this makes me the less to wonder at the many Aviaries in Italy, or +at the great charge of Varro's Aviary, the ruins of which are yet to be +seen in Rome, and is still so famous there, that it is reckoned for one +of those notables which men of foreign nations either record, or lay up +in their memories when they return from travel. + +This for the birds of pleasure, of which very much more might be said. +My next shall be of birds of political use. I think it is not to be +doubted that Swallows have been taught to carry letters between two +armies; but 'tis certain that when the Turks besieged Malta or Rhodes, I +now remember not which it was, Pigeons are then related to carry and +recarry letters: and Mr. G. Sandys, in his Travels, relates it to be +done betwixt Aleppo and Babylon, But if that be disbelieved, it is not +to be doubted that the Dove was sent out of the ark by Noah, to give him +notice of land, when to him all appeared to be sea; and the Dove proved +a faithful and comfortable messenger. And for the sacrifices of the law, +a pair of Turtle-doves, or young Pigeons, were as well accepted as +costly Bulls and Rams; and when God would feed the Prophet Elijah, after +a kind of miraculous manner, he did it by Ravens, who brought him meat +morning and evening. Lastly, the Holy Ghost, when he descended visibly +upon our Saviour, did it by assuming the shape of a Dove. And, to +conclude this part of my discourse, pray remember these wonders were +done by birds of air, the element in which they, and I, take so much +pleasure. + +There is also a little contemptible winged creature, an inhabitant of my +aerial element, namely the laborious Bee, of whose prudence, policy, and +regular government of their own commonwealth, I might say much, as also +of their several kinds, and how useful their honey and wax are both for +meat and medicines to mankind; but I will leave them to their sweet +labour, without the least disturbance, believing them to be all very +busy at this very time amongst the herbs and flowers that we see nature +puts forth this May morning. + +And now to return to my Hawks, from whom I have made too long a +digression. You are to note, that they are usually distinguished into +two kinds; namely, the long-winged, and the short-winged Hawk: of the +first kind, there be chiefly in use amongst us in this nation, + + The Gerfalcon and Jerkin, + The Falcon and Tassel-gentle, + The Laner and Laneret, + The Bockerel and Bockeret, + The Saker and Sacaret, + The Merlin and Jack Merlin, + The Hobby and Jack: + There is the Stelletto of Spain, + The Blood-red Rook from Turkey, + The Waskite from Virginia: + And there is of short-winged Hawks, + The Eagle and Iron + The Goshawk and Tarcel, + The Sparhawk and Musket, + The French Pye of two sorts: + +These are reckoned Hawks of note and worth; but we have also of an +inferior rank, + + The Stanyel, the Ringtail, + The Raven, the Buzzard, + The Forked Kite, the Bald Buzzard, + The Hen-driver, and others that I forbear to name. + +Gentlemen, if I should enlarge my discourse to the observation of the +Eires, the Brancher, the Ramish Hawk, the Haggard, and the two sorts of +Lentners, and then treat of their several Ayries, their Mewings, rare +order of casting, and the renovation of their feathers: their +reclaiming, dieting, and then come to their rare stories of practice; I +say, if I should enter into these, and many other observations that I +could make, it would be much, very much pleasure to me: but lest I +should break the rules of civility with you, by taking up more than the +proportion of time allotted to me, I will here break off, and entreat +you, Mr. Venator, to say what you are able in the commendation of +Hunting, to which you are so much affected; and if time will serve, I +will beg your favour for a further enlargement of some of those several +heads of which I have spoken. But no more at present. + +Venator. Well, Sir, and I will now take my turn, and will first begin +with a commendation of the Earth, as you have done most excellently of +the Air; the Earth being that element upon which I drive my pleasant, +wholesome, hungry trade. The Earth is a solid, settled element; an +element most universally beneficial both to man and beast; to men who +have their several recreations upon it, as horse-races, hunting, sweet +smells, pleasant walks: the earth feeds man, and all those several +beasts that both feed him, and afford him recreation. What pleasure doth +man take in hunting the stately Stag, the generous Buck, the wild Boar, +the cunning Otter, the crafty Fox, and the fearful Hare! And if I may +descend to a lower game, what pleasure is it sometimes with gins to +betray the very vermin of the earth; as namely, the Fichat, the +Fulimart, the Ferret, the Pole-cat, the Mouldwarp, and the like +creatures that live upon the face, and within the bowels of, the Earth. +How doth the Earth bring forth herbs, flowers, and fruits, both for +physick and the pleasure of mankind! and above all, to me at least, the +fruitful vine, of which when I drink moderately, it clears my brain, +cheers my heart, and sharpens my wit. How could Cleopatra have feasted +Mark Antony with eight wild Boars roasted whole at one supper, and other +meat suitable, if the earth had not been a bountiful mother? But to pass +by the mighty Elephant, which the Earth breeds and nourisheth, and +descend to the least of creatures, how doth the earth afford us a +doctrinal example in the little Pismire, who in the summer provides and +lays up her winter provision, and teaches man to do the like! The earth +feeds and carries those horses that carry us. If I would be prodigal of +my time and your patience, what might not I say in commendations of the +earth? That puts limits to the proud and raging sea, and by that means +preserves both man and beast, that it destroys them not, as we see it +daily doth those that venture upon the sea, and are there shipwrecked, +drowned, and left to feed Haddocks; when we that are so wise as to keep +ourselves on earth, walk, and talk, and live, and eat, and drink, and go +a hunting: of which recreation I will say a little, and then leave Mr. +Piscator to the commendation of Angling. + +Hunting is a game for princes and noble persons; it hath been highly +prized in all ages; it was one of the qualifications that Xenophon +bestowed on his Cyrus, that he was a hunter of wild beasts. Hunting +trains up the younger nobility to the use of manly exercises in their +riper age. What more manly exercise than hunting the Wild Boar, the +Stag, the Buck, the Fox, or the Hare? How doth it preserve health, and +increase strength and activity! + +And for the dogs that we use, who can commend their excellency to that +height which they deserve? How perfect is the hound at smelling, who +never leaves or forsakes his first scent, but follows it through so many +changes and varieties of other scents, even over, and in, the water, and +into the earth! What music doth a pack of dogs then make to any man, +whose heart and ears are so happy as to be set to the tune of such +instruments! How will a right Greyhound fix his eye on the best Buck in +a herd, single him out, and follow him, and him only, through a whole +herd of rascal game, and still know and then kill him! For my hounds, I +know the language of them, and they know the language and meaning of one +another, as perfectly as we know the voices of those with whom we +discourse daily. + +I might enlarge myself in the commendation of Hunting, and of the noble +Hound especially, as also of the docibleness of dogs in general; and I +might make many observations of land-creatures, that for composition, +order, figure, and constitution, approach nearest to the completeness +and understanding of man; especially of those creatures, which Moses in +the Law permitted to the Jews, which have cloven hoofs, and chew the +cud; which I shall forbear to name, because I will not be so uncivil to +Mr. Piscator, as not to allow him a time for the commendation of +Angling, which he calls an art; but doubtless it is an easy one: and, +Mr. Auceps, I doubt we shall hear a watery discourse of it, but I hope +it will not be a long one. + +Auceps. And I hope so too, though I fear it will. + +Piscator. Gentlemen, let not prejudice prepossess you. I confess my +discourse is like to prove suitable to my recreation, calm and quiet; we +seldom take the name of God into our mouths, but it is either to praise +him, or pray to him: if others use it vainly in the midst of their +recreations, so vainly as if they meant to conjure, I must tell you, it +is neither our fault nor our custom; we protest against it. But, pray +remember, I accuse nobody; for as I would not make a "watery discourse," +so I would not put too much vinegar into it; nor would I raise the +reputation of my own art, by the diminution or ruin of another's. And so +much for the prologue to what I mean to say. + +And now for the Water, the element that I trade in. The water is the +eldest daughter of the creation, the element upon which the Spirit of +God did first move, the element which God commanded to bring forth +living creatures abundantly; and without which, those that inhabit the +land, even all creatures that have breath in their nostrils, must +suddenly return to putrefaction. Moses, the great lawgiver and chief +philosopher, skilled in all the learning of the Egyptians, who was +called the friend of God, and knew the mind of the Almighty, names this +element the first in the creation: this is the element upon which the +Spirit of God did first move, and is the chief ingredient in the +creation: many philosophers have made it to comprehend all the other +elements, and most allow it the chiefest in the mixtion of all living +creatures. + +There be that profess to believe that all bodies are made of water, and +may be reduced back again to water only; they endeavour to demonstrate +it thus: + +Take a willow, or any like speedy growing plant newly rooted in a box or +barrel full of earth, weigh them all together exactly when the tree +begins to grow, and then weigh all together after the tree is increased +from its first rooting, to weigh a hundred pound weight more than when +it was first rooted and weighed; and you shall find this augment of the +tree to be without the diminution of one drachm weight of the earth. +Hence they infer this increase of wood to be from water of rain, or from +dew, and not to be from any other element; and they affirm, they can +reduce this wood back again to water; and they affirm also, the same may +be done in any animal or vegetable. And this I take to be a fair +testimony of the excellency of my element of water. + +The water is more productive than the earth. Nay, the earth hath no +fruitfulness without showers or dews; for all the herbs, and flowers, +and fruit, are produced and thrive by the water; and the very minerals +are fed by streams that run under ground, whose natural course carries +them to the tops of many high mountains, as we see by several springs +breaking forth on the tops of the highest hills; and this is also +witnessed by the daily trial and testimony of several miners. + +Nay, the increase of those creatures that are bred and fed in the water +are not only more and more miraculous, but more advantageous to man, not +only for the lengthening of his life, but for the preventing of +sickness; for it is observed by the most learned physicians, that the +casting off of Lent, and other fish days, which hath not only given the +lie to so many learned, pious, wise founders of colleges, for which we +should be ashamed, hath doubtless been the chief cause of those many +putrid, shaking intermitting agues, unto which this nation of ours is +now more subject, than those wiser countries that feed on herbs, salads, +and plenty of fish; of which it is observed in story, that the greatest +part of the world now do. And it may be fit to remember that Moses +appointed fish to be the chief diet for the best commonwealth that ever +yet was. + +And it is observable, not only that there are fish, as namely the Whale, +three times as big as the mighty Elephant, that is so fierce in battle, +but that the mightiest feasts have been of fish. The Romans, in the +height of their glory, have made fish the mistress of all their +entertainments; they have had musick to usher in their Sturgeons, +Lampreys, and Mullets, which they would purchase at rates rather to be +wondered at than believed. He that shall view the writings of Macrobius, +or Varro, may be confirmed and informed of this, and of the incredible +value of their fish and fish-ponds. + +But, Gentlemen, I have almost lost myself, which I confess I may easily +do in this philosophical discourse; I met with most of it very lately, +and, I hope, happily, in a conference with a most learned physician, Dr. +Wharton, a dear friend, that loves both me and my art of Angling. But, +however, I will wade no deeper into these mysterious arguments, but pass +to such observations as I can manage with more pleasure, and less fear +of running into error. But I must not yet forsake the waters, by whose +help we have so many known advantages. + +And first, to pass by the miraculous cures of our known baths, how +advantageous is the sea for our daily traffick, without which we could +not now subsist. How does it not only furnish us with food and physick +for the bodies, but with such observations for the mind as ingenious +persons would not want! + +How ignorant had we been of the beauty of Florence, of the monuments, +urns, and rarities that yet remain in and near unto old and new Rome, so +many as it is said will take up a year's time to view, and afford to +each of them but a convenient consideration! And therefore it is not to +be wondered at, that so learned and devout a father as St. Jerome, after +his wish to have seen Christ in the flesh, and to have heard St. Paul +preach, makes his third wish, to have seen Rome in her glory; and that +glory is not yet all lost, for what pleasure is it to see the monuments +of Livy, the choicest of the historians; of Tully, the best of orators; +and to see the bay trees that now grow out of the very tomb of Virgil! +These, to any that love learning, must be pleasing. But what pleasure is +it to a devout Christian, to see there the humble house in which St. +Paul was content to dwell, and to view the many rich statues that are +made in honour of his memory! nay, to see the very place in which St. +Peter and he lie buried together! These are in and near to Rome. And how +much more doth it please the pious curiosity of a Christian, to see that +place, on which the blessed Saviour of the world was pleased to humble +himself, and to take our nature upon him, and to converse with men: to +see Mount Sion, Jerusalem, and the very sepulchre of our Lord Jesus! How +may it beget and heighten the zeal of a Christian, to see the devotions +that are daily paid to him at that place! Gentlemen, lest I forget +myself, I will stop here, and remember you, that but for my element of +water, the inhabitants of this poor island must remain ignorant that +such things ever were, or that any of them have yet a being. + +Gentlemen, I might both enlarge and lose myself in such like arguments. +I might tell you that Almighty God is said to have spoken to a fish, but +never to a beast; that he hath made a whale a ship, to carry and set his +prophet, Jonah, safe on the appointed shore. Of these I might speak, but +I must in manners break off, for I see Theobald's House. I cry you mercy +for being so long, and thank you for your patience. + +Auceps. Sir, my pardon is easily granted you: I except against nothing +that you have said: nevertheless, I must part with you at this +park-wall, for which I am very sorry; but I assure you, Mr. Piscator, I +now part with you full of good thoughts, not only of yourself, but your +recreation. And so, Gentlemen, God keep you both. + +Piscator. Well, now, Mr. Venator, you shall neither want time, nor my +attention to hear you enlarge your discourse concerning hunting. + +Venator. Not I, Sir: I remember you said that Angling itself was of +great antiquity, and a perfect art, and an art not easily attained to; +and you have so won upon me in your former discourse, that I am very +desirous to hear what you can say further concerning those particulars. + +Piscator. Sir, I did say so: and I doubt not but if you and I did +converse together but a few hours, to leave you possessed with the same +high and happy thoughts that now possess me of it; not only of the +antiquity of Angling, but that it deserves commendations; and that it is +an art, and an art worthy the knowledge and practice of a wise man. + +Venator. Pray, Sir, speak of them what you think fit, for we have yet +five miles to the Thatched House; during which walk, I dare promise you, +my patience and diligent attention shall not be wanting. And if you +shall make that to appear which you have undertaken, first, that it is +an art, and an art worth the learning, I shall beg that I may attend you +a day or two a-fishing, and that I may become your scholar, and be +instructed in the art itself which you so much magnify. + +Piscator. O, Sir, doubt not but that Angling is an art; is it not an art +to deceive a Trout with an artificial Fly? a Trout! that is more +sharp-sighted than any Hawk you have named, and more watchful and +timorous than your high-mettled Merlin is bold? and yet, I doubt not to +catch a brace or two to-morrow, for a friend's breakfast: doubt not +therefore, Sir, but that angling is an art, and an art worth your learning. +The question is rather, whether you be capable of learning it? angling +is somewhat like poetry, men are to be born so: I mean, with +inclinations to it, though both may be heightened by discourse and +practice: but he that hopes to be a good angler, must not only bring an +inquiring, searching, observing wit, but he must bring a large measure +of hope and patience, and a love and propensity to the art itself; but +having once got and practiced it, then doubt not but angling will prove +to be so pleasant, that it will prove to be, like virtue, a reward to +itself. + +Venator. Sir, I am now become so full of expectation, that I long much +to have you proceed, and in the order that you propose. + +Piscator. Then first, for the antiquity of Angling, of which I shall not +say much, but only this; some say it is as ancient as Deucalion's flood: +others, that Belus, who was the first inventor of godly and virtuous +recreations, was the first inventor of Angling: and some others say, for +former times have had their disquisitions about the antiquity of it, +that Seth, one of the sons of Adam, taught it to his sons, and that by +them it was derived to posterity: others say that he left it engraven on +those pillars which he erected, and trusted to preserve the knowledge of +the mathematicks, musick, and the rest of that precious knowledge, and +those useful arts, which by God's appointment or allowance, and his +noble industry, were thereby preserved from perishing in Noah's flood. + +These, Sir, have been the opinions of several men, that have possibly +endeavoured to make angling more ancient than is needful, or may well be +warranted; but for my part, I shall content myself in telling you, that +angling is much more ancient than the incarnation of our Saviour; for in +the Prophet Amos mention is made of fish-hooks; and in the book of Job, +which was long before the days of Amos, for that book is said to have +been written by Moses, mention is made also of fish-hooks, which must +imply anglers in those times. + +But, my worthy friend, as I would rather prove myself a gentleman, by +being learned and humble, valiant and inoffensive, virtuous and +communicable, than by any fond ostentation of riches, or, wanting those +virtues myself, boast that these were in my ancestors; and yet I grant, +that where a noble and ancient descent and such merit meet in any man, +it is a double dignification of that person; so if this antiquity of +angling, which for my part I have not forced, shall, like an ancient +family, be either an honour, or an ornament to this virtuous art which I +profess to love and practice, I shall be the gladder that I made an +accidental mention of the antiquity of it, of which I shall say no more, +but proceed to that just commendation which I think it deserves. + +And for that, I shall tell you, that in ancient times a debate hath +risen, and it remains yet unresolved, whether the happiness of man in +this world doth consist more in contemplation or action? Concerning +which, some have endeavoured to maintain their opinion of the first; by +saying, that the nearer we mortals come to God by way of imitation, the +more happy we are. And they say, that God enjoys himself only, by a +contemplation of his own infiniteness, eternity, power, and goodness, +and the like. And upon this ground, many cloisteral men of great +learning and devotion, prefer contemplation before action. And many of +the fathers seem to approve this opinion, as may appear in their +commentaries upon the words of our Saviour to Martha. + +And on the contrary, there want not men of equal authority and credit, +that prefer action to be the more excellent; as namely, experiments in +physick, and the application of it, both for the ease and prolongation +of man's life; by which each man is enabled to act and do good to +others, either to serve his country, or do good to particular persons: +and they say also, that action is doctrinal, and teaches both art and +virtue, and is a maintainer of human society; and for these, and other +like reasons, to be preferred before contemplation. + +Concerning which two opinions I shall forbear to add a third, by +declaring my own; and rest myself contented in telling you, my very +worthy friend, that both these meet together, and do most properly +belong to the most honest, ingenuous, quiet, and harmless art of +angling. + +And first, I shall tell you what some have observed, and I have found it +to be a real truth, that the very sitting by the river's side is not +only the quietest and fittest place for contemplation, but will invite +an angler to it: and this seems to be maintained by the learned Peter du +Moulin, who, in his discourse of the fulfilling of Prophecies, observes, +that when God intended to reveal any future events or high notions to +his prophets, he then carried them either to the deserts, or the +sea-shore, that having so separated them from amidst the press of people +and business, and the cares of the world, he might settle their mind in +a quiet repose, and there make them fit for revelation. + +And this seems also to be imitated by the children of Israel, who having +in a sad condition banished all mirth and musick from their pensive +hearts, and having hung up their then mute harps upon the willow-trees +growing by the rivers of Babylon, sat down upon those banks, bemoaning +the ruins of Sion, and contemplating their own sad condition. + +And an ingenious Spaniard says, that "rivers and the inhabitants of the +watery element were made for wise men to contemplate, and fools to pass +by without consideration ". And though I will not rank myself in the +number of the first, yet give me leave to free myself from the last, by +offering to you a short contemplation, first of rivers, and then of +fish; concerning which I doubt not but to give you many observations +that will appear very considerable: I am sure they have appeared so to +me, and made many an hour pass away more pleasantly, as I have sat +quietly on a flowery bank by a calm river, and contemplated what I shall +now relate to you. + +And first concerning rivers; there be so many wonders reported and +written of them, and of the several creatures that be bred and live in +them, and those by authors of so good credit, that we need not to deny +them an historical faith. + +As namely of a river in Epirus that puts out any lighted torch, and +kindles any torch that was not lighted. Some waters being drunk, cause +madness, some drunkenness, and some laughter to death. The river Selarus +in a few hours turns a rod or wand to stone: and our Camden mentions the +like in England, and the like in Lochmere in Ireland. There is also a +river in Arabia, of which all the sheep that drink thereof have their +wool turned into a vermilion colour. And one of no less credit than +Aristotle, tells us of a merry river, the river Elusina, that dances at +the noise of musick, for with musick it bubbles, dances, and grows +sandy, and so continues till the musick ceases, but then it presently +returns to its wonted calmness and clearness. And Camden tells us of a +well near to Kirby, in Westmoreland, that ebbs and flows several times +every day: and he tells us of a river in Surrey, it is called Mole, that +after it has run several miles, being opposed by hills, finds or makes +itself a way under ground, and breaks out again so far off, that the +inhabitants thereabout boast, as the Spaniards do of their river Anus, +that they feed divers flocks of sheep upon a bridge. And lastly, for I +would not tire your patience, one of no less authority than Josephus, +that learned Jew, tells us of a river in Judea that runs swiftly all the +six days of the week, and stands still and rests all their sabbath. + +But I will lay aside my discourse of rivers, and tell you some things of +the monsters, or fish, call them what you will, that they breed and feed +in them. Pliny the philosopher says, in the third chapter of his ninth +book, that in the Indian Sea, the fish called Balaena or Whirlpool, is +so long and broad, as to take up more in length and breadth than two +acres of ground; and, of other fish, of two hundred cubits long; and +that in the river Ganges, there be Eels of thirty feet long. He says +there, that these monsters appear in that sea, only when the tempestuous +winds oppose the torrents of water falling from the rocks into it, and +so turning what lay at the bottom to be seen on the water's top. And he +says, that the people of Cadara, an island near this place, make the +timber for their houses of those fish bones. He there tells us, that +there are sometimes a thousand of these great Eels found wrapt or +interwoven together He tells us there, that it appears that dolphins +love musick, and will come when called for, by some men or boys that +know, and use to feed them; and that they can swim as swift as an arrow +can be shot out of a bow; and much of this is spoken concerning the +dolphin, and other fish, as may be found also in the learned Dr. +Casaubon's Discourse of Credulity and Incredulity, printed by him about +the year 1670. + +I know, we Islanders are averse to the belief of these wonders; but +there be so many strange creatures to be now seen, many collected by +John Tradescant, and others added by my friend Elias Ashmole, Esq., who +now keeps them carefully and methodically at his house near to Lambeth, +near London, as may get some belief of some of the other wonders I +mentioned. I will tell you some of the wonders that you may now see, and +not till then believe, unless you think fit. + +You may there see the Hog-fish, the Dog-fish, the Dolphin, the +Cony-fish, the Parrot-fish, the Shark, the Poison-fish, Sword-fish, and +not only other incredible fish, but you may there see the Salamander, +several sorts of Barnacles, of Solan-Geese, the Bird of Paradise, such +sorts of Snakes, and such Birds'-nests, and of so various forms, and so +wonderfully made, as may beget wonder and amusement in any beholder; and +so many hundred of other rarities in that collection, as will make the +other wonders I spake of, the less incredible; for, you may note, that +the waters are Nature's store-house, in which she locks up her wonders. + +But, Sir, lest this discourse may seem tedious, I shall give it a sweet +conclusion out of that holy poet, Mr. George Herbert his divine +"Contemplation on God's Providence". + + Lord! who hath praise enough, nay, who hath any? + None can express thy works, but he that knows them; + And none can know thy works, they are so many, + And so complete, but only he that owes them. + + We all acknowledge both thy power and love + To be exact, transcendant, and divine; + Who cost so strangely and so sweetly move, + Whilst all things have their end, yet none but thine. + + Wherefore, most sacred Spirit! I here present, + For me, and all my fellows, praise to thee; + And just it is, that I should pay the rent, + Because the benefit accrues to me. + +And as concerning fish, in that psalm, wherein, for height of poetry and +wonders, the prophet David seems even to exceed himself, how doth he +there express himself in choice metaphors, even to the amazement of a +contemplative reader, concerning the sea, the rivers, and the fish +therein contained! And the great naturalist Pliny says, "That nature's +great and wonderful power is more demonstrated in the sea than on the +land ". And this may appear, by the numerous and various creatures +inhabiting both in and about that element; as to the readers of Gesner, +Rondeletius, Pliny, Ausonius, Aristotle, and others, may be +demonstrated. But I will sweeten this discourse also out of a +contemplation in divine Du Bartas, who says: + + God quickened in the sea, and in the rivers, + So many fishes of so many features, + That in the waters we may see all creatures, + Even all that on the earth are to be found, + As if the world were in deep waters drown'd. + For seas--as well as skies--have Sun, Moon, Stars + As well as air--Swallows, Rooks, and Stares; + As well as earth--Vines, Roses, Nettles, Melons, + Mushrooms, Pinks, Gilliflowers, and many millions + Of other plants, more rare, more strange than these, + As very fishes, living in the seas; + As also Rams, Calves, Horses, Hares, and Hogs, + Wolves, Urchins, Lions, Elephants, and Dogs; + Yea, Men and Maids, and, which I most admire, + The mitred Bishop and the cowled Friar: + Of which, examples, but a few years since, + Were strewn the Norway and Polonian prince. + +These seem to be wonders; but have had so many confirmations from men of +learning and credit, that you need not doubt them. Nor are the number, +nor the various shapes, of fishes more strange, or more fit for +contemplation, than their different natures, inclinations, and actions; +concerning which, I shall beg your patient ear a little longer. + +The Cuttle-fish will cast a long gut out of her throat, which, like as +an Angler doth his line, she sendeth forth, and pulleth in again at her +pleasure, according as she sees some little fish come near to her; and +the Cuttle-fish, being then hid in the gravel, lets the smaller fish +nibble and bite the end of it; at which time she, by little and little, +draws the smaller fish so near to her, that she may leap upon her, and +then catches and devours her: and for this reason some have called this +fish the Sea-angler. + +And there is a fish called a Hermit, that at a certain age gets into a +dead fish's shell, and, like a hermit, dwells there alone, studying the +wind and weather and so turns her shell, that she makes it defend her +from the injuries that they would bring upon her. + +There is also a fish called by Ælian the Adonis, or Darling of the Sea; +so called, because it is a loving and innocent fish, a fish that hurts +nothing that hath life, and is at peace with all the numerous +inhabitants of that vast watery element; and truly, I think most Anglers +are so disposed to most of mankind. + +And there are, also, lustful and chaste fishes; of which I shall give +you examples. + +And first, what Du Bartas says of a fish called the Sargus; which, +because none can express it better than he does, I shall give you in his +own words, supposing it shall not have the less credit for being verse; +for he hath gathered this and other observations out of authors that +have been great and industrious searchers into the secrets of nature. + + The adult'rous Sargus doth not only change + Wives every day, in the deep streams, but, strange! + As if the honey of sea-love delight + Could not suffice his ranging appetite, + Goes courting she-goats on the grassy shore, + Horning their husbands that had horns before. + +And the same author writes concerning the Cantharus, that which you +shall also hear in his own words: + + But, contrary, the constant Cantharus + Is ever constant to his faithful spouse + In nuptial duties, spending his chaste life. + Never loves any but his own dear wife. + +Sir, but a little longer, and I have done. + +Venator. Sir, take what liberty you think fit, for your discourse seems +to be musick, and charms me to an attention. + +Piscator. Why then, Sir, I will take a little liberty to tell, or rather +to remember you what is said of Turtle-doves; first, that they silently +plight their troth, and marry; and that then the survivor scorns, as the +Thracian women are said to do, to outlive his or her mate, and this is +taken for a truth; and if the survivor shall ever couple with another, +then, not only the living, but the dead, be it either the he or the she, +is denied the name and honour of a true Turtle-dove. + +And to parallel this land-rarity, and teach mankind moral faithfulness, +and to condemn those that talk of religion, and yet come short of the +moral faith of fish and fowl, men that violate the law affirmed by St. +Paul to be writ in their hearts, and which, he says, shall at the Last +Day condemn and leave them without excuse--I pray hearken to what Du +Bartas sings, for the hearing of such conjugal faithfulness will be +musick to all chaste ears, and therefore I pray hearken to what Du +Bartas sings of the Mullet. + + But for chaste love the Mullet hath no peer; + For, if the fisher hath surpris'd her pheer + As mad with wo, to shore she followeth + Prest to consort him, both in life and death. + +On the contrary, what shall I say of the House-Cock, which treads any +hen; and, then, contrary to the Swan, the Partridge, and Pigeon, takes +no care to hatch, to feed, or cherish his own brood, but is senseless, +though they perish. And it is considerable, that the Hen, which, because +she also takes any Cock, expects it not, who is sure the chickens be her +own, hath by a moral impression her care and affection to her own brood +more than doubled, even to such a height, that our Saviour, in +expressing his love to Jerusalem, quotes her, for an example of tender +affection, as his Father had done Job, for a pattern of patience. + +And to parallel this Cock, there be divers fishes that cast their spawn +on flags or stones, and then leave it uncovered, and exposed to become a +prey and be devoured by vermin or other fishes. But other fishes, as +namely the Barbel, take such care for the preservation of their seed, +that, unlike to the Cock, or the Cuckoo, they mutually labour, both the +spawner and the melter, to cover their spawn with sand, or watch it, or +hide it in some secret place unfrequented by vermin or by any fish but +themselves. + +Sir, these examples may, to you and others, seem strange; but they are +testified, some by Aristotle, some by Pliny, some by Gesner, and by many +others of credit; and are believed and known by divers, both of wisdom +and experience, to be a truth; and indeed are, as I said at the +beginning, fit for the contemplation of a most serious and a most pious +man. And, doubtless, this made the prophet David say, "They that occupy +themselves in deep waters, see the wonderful works of God": indeed such +wonders and pleasures too, as the land affords not. + +And that they be fit for the contemplation of the most prudent, and +pious, and peaceable men, seems to be testified by the practice of so +many devout and contemplative men, as the Patriarchs and Prophets of +old; and of the Apostles of our Saviour in our latter times, of which +twelve, we are sure, he chose four that were simple fishermen, whom he +inspired, and sent to publish his blessed will to the Gentiles; and +inspired them also with a power to speak all languages, and by their +powerful eloquence to beget faith in the unbelieving Jews; and +themselves to suffer for that Saviour, whom their forefathers and they +had crucified; and, in their sufferings, to preach freedom from the +incumbrances of the law, and a new way to everlasting life: this was the +employment of these happy fishermen. Concerning which choice, some have +made these observations: + +First, that he never reproved these, for their employment or calling, as +he did the Scribes and the Money-changers. And secondly, he found that +the hearts of such men, by nature, were fitted for contemplation and +quietness; men of mild, and sweet, and peaceable spirits, as indeed most +Anglers are: these men our blessed Saviour, who is observed to love to +plant grace in good natures, though indeed nothing be too hard for him, +yet these men he chose to call from their irreprovable employment of +fishing, and gave them grace to be his disciples, and to follow him, and +do wonders; I say four of twelve. + +And it is observable, that it was our Saviour's will that these, our +four fishermen, should have a priority of nomination in the catalogue of +his twelve Apostles, as namely, first St. Peter, St. Andrew, St. James, +and St. John; and, then, the rest in their order. + +And it is yet more observable, that when our blessed Saviour went up +into the mount, when he left the rest of his disciples, and chose only +three to bear him company at his Transfiguration, that those three were +all fishermen. And it is to be believed, that all the other Apostles, +after they betook themselves to follow Christ, betook themselves to be +fishermen too; for it is certain, that the greater number of them were +found together, fishing, by Jesus after his resurrection, as it is +recorded in the twenty-first chapter of St. John's gospel. + +And since I have your promise to hear me with patience, I will take a +liberty to look back upon an observation that hath been made by an +ingenious and learned man; who observes, that God hath been pleased to +allow those whom he himself hath appointed to write his holy will in +holy writ, yet to express his will in such metaphors as their former +affections or practice had inclined them to. And he brings Solomon for +an example, who, before his conversion, was remarkably carnally amorous; +and after, by God's appointment, wrote that spiritual dialogue, or holy +amorous love-song the Canticles, betwixt God and his church: in which he +says, "his beloved had eyes like the fish-pools of Heshbon". + +And if this hold in reason, as I see none to the contrary, then it may +be probably concluded, that Moses, who I told you before writ the book +of Job, and the Prophet Amos, who was a shepherd, were both Anglers; for +you shall, in all the Old Testament, find fish-hooks, I think but twice +mentioned, namely, by meek Moses the friend of God, and by the humble +prophet Amos. + +Concerning which last, namely the prophet Amos, I shall make but this +observation, that he that shall read the humble, lowly, plain style of +that prophet, and compare it with the high, glorious, eloquent style of +the prophet Isaiah, though they be both equally true, may easily believe +Amos to be, not only a shepherd, but a good-natured plain fisherman. +Which I do the rather believe, by comparing the affectionate, loving, +lowly, humble Epistles of St. Peter, St. James, and St. John, whom we +know were all fishers, with the glorious language and high metaphors of +St. Paul, who we may believe was not. + +And for the lawfulness of fishing: it may very well be maintained by our +Saviour's bidding St. Peter cast his hook into the water and catch a +fish, for money to pay tribute to Caesar. And let me tell you, that +Angling is of high esteem, and of much use in other nations. He that +reads the Voyages of Ferdinand Mendez Pinto, shall find that there he +declares to have found a king and several priests a-fishing. And he that +reads Plutarch, shall find, that Angling was not contemptible in the +days of Mark Antony and Cleopatra, and that they, in the midst of their +wonderful glory, used Angling as a principal recreation. And let me tell +you, that in the Scripture, Angling is always taken in the best sense; +and that though hunting may be sometimes so taken, yet it is but seldom +to be so understood. And let me add this more: he that views the ancient +Ecclesiastical Canons, shall find hunting to be forbidden to Churchmen, +as being a turbulent, toilsome, perplexing recreation; and shall find +Angling allowed to clergymen, as being a harmless recreation, a +recreation that invites them to contemplation and quietness. + +I might here enlarge myself, by telling you what commendations our +learned Perkins bestows on Angling: and how dear a lover, and great a +practiser of it, our learned Dr. Whitaker was; as indeed many others of +great learning have been. But I will content myself with two memorable +men, that lived near to our own time, whom I also take to have been +ornaments to the art of Angling. + +The first is Dr. Nowel, sometime dean of the cathedral church of St. +Paul, in London, where his monument stands yet undefaced; a man that, in +the reformation of Queen Elizabeth, not that of Henry VIII., was so +noted for his meek spirit, deep learning, prudence, and piety, that the +then Parliament and Convocation, both, chose, enjoined, and trusted him +to be the man to make a Catechism for public use, such a one as should +stand as a rule for faith and manners to their posterity. And the good +old man, though he was very learned, yet knowing that God leads us not +to heaven by many, nor by hard questions, like an honest Angler, made +that good, plain, unperplexed Catechism which is printed with our good +old Service-book. I say, this good man was a dear lover and constant +practiser of Angling, as any age can produce: and his custom was to +spend besides his fixed hours of prayer, those hours which, by command +of the church, were enjoined the clergy, and voluntarily dedicated to +devotion by many primitive Christians, I say, besides those hours, this +good man was observed to spend a tenth part of his time in Angling; and, +also, for I have conversed with those which have conversed with him, to +bestow a tenth part of his revenue, and usually all his fish, amongst +the poor that inhabited near to those rivers in which it was caught; +saying often, "that charity gave life to religion ": and, at his return +to his house, would praise God he had spent that day free from worldly +trouble; both harmlessly, and in a recreation that became a churchman. +And this good man was well content, if not desirous, that posterity +should know he was an Angler; as may appear by his picture, now to be +seen, and carefully kept, in Brazen-nose College, to which he was a +liberal benefactor. In which picture he is drawn leaning on a desk, with +his Bible before him; and on one hand of him, his lines, hooks, and +other tackling, lying in a round; and, on his other hand, are his +Angle-rods of several sorts; and by them this is written, "that he died +13 Feb. 1601, being aged ninety-five years, forty-four of which he had +been Dean of St. Paul's church, and that his age neither impaired his +hearing, nor dimmed his eyes, nor weakened his memory, nor made any of +the faculties of his mind weak or useless". It is said that Angling and +temperance were great causes of these blessings; and I wish the like to +all that imitate him, and love the memory of so good a man. + +My next and last example shall be that under-valuer of money, the late +provost of Eton College, Sir Henry Wotton, a man with whom I have often +fished and conversed, a man whose foreign employments in the service of +this nation, and whose experience, learning, wit, and cheerfulness, made +his company to be esteemed one of the delights of mankind. This man, +whose very approbation of Angling were sufficient to convince any modest +censurer of it, this man was also a most dear lover, and a frequent +practiser of the art of Angling; of which he would say, "it was an +employment for his idle time, which was then not idly spent"; for +Angling was, after tedious study, "a rest to his mind, a cheerer of his +spirits, a diverter of sadness, a calmer of unquiet thoughts, a +moderator of passions, a procurer of contentedness; and that it begat +habits of peace and patience in those that professed and practiced it ". +Indeed, my friend, you will find Angling to be like the virtue of +humility, which has a calmness of spirit, and a world of other blessings +attending upon it. Sir, this was the saying of that learned man. + +And I do easily believe, that peace, and patience, and a calm content, +did cohabit in the cheerful heart of Sir Henry Wotton, because I know +that when he was beyond seventy years of age, he made this description +of a part of the present pleasure that possessed him, as he sat quietly, +in a summer's evening, on a bank a-fishing. It is a description of the +spring; which, because it glided as soft and sweetly from his pen, as +that river does at this time, by which it was then made, I shall repeat +it unto you:-- + + This day dame Nature seem'd in love + The lusty sap began to move; + Fresh juice did stir th' embracing vines. + And birds had drawn their valentines. + + The jealous trout, that low did lie + Rose at a well-dissembled fly + There stood my Friend, with patient skill, + Attending of his trembling quill. + + Already were the eaves possess'd + With the swift pilgrim's daubed nest; + The groves already did rejoice + In Philomel's triumphing voice: + + The showers were short, the weather mild, + The morning fresh, the evening smil'd. + Joan takes her neat-rubb'd pail, and now, + She trips to milk the sand-red cow; + + Where, for some sturdy foot-ball swain, + Joan strokes a syllabub or twain. + The fields and gardens were beset + With tulips, crocus, violet; + + And now, though late, the modest rose + Did more than half a blush disclose. + Thus all looks gay, and full of cheer, + To welcome the new-livery'd year. + +These were the thoughts that then possessed the undisturbed mind of Sir +Henry Wotton. Will you hear the wish of another Angler, and the +commendation of his happy life, which he also sings in verse: viz. Jo. +Davors, Esq. + + Let me live harmlessly, and near the brink + Of Trent or Avon have a dwelling-place + Where I may see my quill, or cork, down sink + With eager bite of Perch, or Bleak, or Dace; + And on the world and my Creator think: + Whilst some men strive ill-gotten goods t' embrace; + And others spend their time in base excess + Of wine, or worse, in war and wantonness. + + Let them that list, these pastimes still pursue, + And on such pleasing fancies feed their fill; + So I the fields and meadows green may view, + And daily by fresh rivers walk at will + Among the daisies and the violets blue, + Red hyacinth, and yellow daffodil, + Purple Narcissus like the morning rays, + Pale gander-grass, and azure culver-keys. + + I count it higher pleasure to behold + The stately compass of the lofty sky; + And in the midst thereof, like burning gold, + The flaming chariot of the world's great eye: + + The watery clouds that in the air up-roll'd + With sundry kinds of painted colours fly; + And fair Aurora, lifting up her head, + Still blushing, rise from old Tithonus' bed. + + The hills and mountains raised from the plains, + The plains extended level with the ground + The grounds divided into sundry veins, + The veins inclos'd with rivers running round; + These rivers making way through nature's chains, + With headlong course, into the sea profound; + The raging sea, beneath the vallies low, + Where lakes, and rills, and rivulets do flow: + + The lofty woods, the forests wide and long, + Adorned with leaves and branches fresh and green, + In whose cool bowers the birds with many a song, + Do welcome with their quire the summer's Queen; + The meadows fair, where Flora's gifts, among + Are intermix'd with verdant grass between; + The silver-scaled fish that softly swim + Within the sweet brook's crystal, watery stream. + + All these, and many more of his creation + That made the heavens, the Angler oft doth see; + Taking therein no little delectation, + To think how strange, how wonderful they be: + Framing thereof an inward contemplation + To set his heart from other fancies free; + And whilst he looks on these with joyful eye, + His mind is rapt above the starry sky. + +Sir, I am glad my memory has not lost these last verses, because they +are somewhat more pleasant and more suitable to May-day than my harsh +discourse. And I am glad your patience hath held out so long as to hear +them and me, for both together have brought us within the sight of the +Thatched House. And I must be your debtor, if you think it worth your +attention, for the rest of my promised discourse, till some other +opportunity, and a like time of leisure. + +Venator. Sir, you have angled me on with much pleasure to the Thatched +House; and I now find your words true, "that good company makes the way +seem short"; for trust me, Sir, I thought we had wanted three miles of +this house, till you showed it to me. But now we are at it, we'll turn +into it, and refresh ourselves with a cup of drink, and a little rest. + +Piscator. Most gladly, Sir, and we'll drink a civil cup to all the +Otter-hunters that are to meet you to-morrow. + +Venator. That we will, Sir, and to all the lovers of Angling too, of +which number I am now willing to be one myself; for, by the help of your +good discourse and company, I have put on new thoughts both of the art +of Angling and of all that profess it; and if you will but meet me +to-morrow at the time and place appointed, and bestow one day with me +and my friends, in hunting the Otter, I will dedicate the next two days +to wait upon you; and we too will, for that time, do nothing but angle, +and talk of fish and fishing. + +Piscator. It is a match, Sir, I will not fail you, God willing, to be at +Amwell Hill to-morrow morning before sun-rising. + + + + + +The second day + +On the Otter and the Chub + +Chapter II + +Piscator, Venator, Huntsman, and Hostess + +Venator. My friend Piscator, you have kept time with my thoughts; for +the sun is just rising, and I myself just now come to this place, and +the dogs have just now put down an Otter. Look! down at the bottom of +the hill there, in that meadow, chequered with water-lilies and +lady-smocks; there you may see what work they make; look! look! you may +see all busy; men and dogs; dogs and men; all busy. + +Piscator. Sir, I am right glad to meet you, and glad to have so fair an +entrance into this day's sport, and glad to see so many dogs, and more +men, all in pursuit of the Otter. Let us compliment no longer, but join +unto them. Come, honest Venator, let us be gone, let us make haste; I +long to be doing; no reasonable hedge or ditch shall hold me. + +Venator. Gentleman Huntsman, where found you this Otter? + +Huntsman. Marry, Sir, we found her a mile from this place, a-fishing. She +has this morning eaten the greatest part of this Trout; she has only +left thus much of it as you see, and was fishing for more; when we came +we found her just at it: but we were here very early, we were here an +hour before sunrise, and have given her no rest since we came; sure she +will hardly escape all these dogs and men. I am to have the skin if we +kill her. + +Venator. Why, Sir, what is the skin worth? + +Huntsman. It is worth ten shillings to make gloves; the gloves of an +Otter are the best fortification for your hands that can be thought on +against wet weather. + +Piscator. I pray, honest Huntsman, let me ask you a pleasant question: +do you hunt a beast or a fish? + +Huntsman. Sir, it is not in my power to resolve you; I leave it to be +resolved by the college of Carthusians, who have made vows never to eat +flesh. But, I have heard, the question hath been debated among many +great clerks, and they seem to differ about it; yet most agree that her +tail is fish: and if her body be fish too, then I may say that a fish +will walk upon land: for an Otter does so sometimes, five or six or ten +miles in a night, to catch for her young ones, or to glut herself with +fish. And I can tell you that Pigeons will fly forty miles for a +breakfast: but, Sir, I am sure the Otter devours much fish, and kills +and spoils much more than he eats. And I can tell you, that this +dog-fisher, for so the Latins call him, can smell a fish in the water a +hundred yards from him: Gesner says much farther: and that his stones +are good against the falling sickness; and that there is an herb, +Benione, which, being hung in a linen cloth near a fish-pond, or any +haunt that he uses, makes him to avoid the place; which proves he smells +both by water and land. And, I can tell you, there is brave hunting this +water-dog in Cornwall; where there have been so many, that our learned +Camden says there is a river called Ottersey, which was so named by +reason of the abundance of Otters that bred and fed in it. + +And thus much for my knowledge of the Otter; which you may now see above +water at vent, and the dogs close with him; I now see he will not last +long. Follow, therefore, my masters, follow; for Sweetlips was like to +have him at this last vent. + +Venator. Oh me! all the horse are got over the river, what shall we do +now? shall we follow them over the water? + +Huntsman. No, Sir, no; be not so eager; stay a little, and follow me; +for both they and the dogs will be suddenly on this side again, I +warrant you, and the Otter too, it may be. Now have at him with Kilbuck, +for he vents again. + +Venator. Marry! so he does; for, look! he vents in that corner. Now, +now, Ringwood has him: now, he is gone again, and has bit the poor dog. +Now Sweetlips has her; hold her, Sweetlips! now all the dogs have her; +some above and some under water: but, now, now she is tired, and past +losing. Come bring her to me, Sweetlips. Look! it is a Bitch-otter, and +she has lately whelp'd. Let's go to the place where she was put down; +and, not far from it, you will find all her young ones, I dare warrant +you, and kill them all too. + +Huntsman. Come, Gentlemen! come, all! let's go to the place where we put +down the Otter. Look you! hereabout it was that she kennelled; look you! +here it was indeed; for here's her young ones, no less than five: come, +let us kill them all. + +Piscator. No: I pray, Sir, save me one, and I'll try if I can make her +tame, as I know an ingenious gentleman in Leicestershire, Mr. Nich. +Segrave, has done; who hath not only made her tame, but to catch fish, +and do many other things of much pleasure. + +Huntsman. Take one with all my heart; but let us kill the rest. And now +let's go to an honest ale-house, where we may have a cup of good barley +wine, and sing "Old Rose," and all of us rejoice together. + +Venator. Come, my friend Piscator, let me invite you along with us. I'll +bear your charges this night, and you shall bear mine to-morrow; for my +intention is to accompany you a day or two in fishing. + +Piscator. Sir, your request is granted; and I shall be right glad both +to exchange such a courtesy, and also to enjoy your company. + + + + + +The third day + + + +Venator. Well, now let's go to your sport of Angling. + +Piscator. Let's be going, with all my heart. God keep you all, +Gentlemen; and send you meet, this day, with another Bitch-otter, and +kill her merrily, and all her young ones too. + +Venator. NOW, Piscator, where will you begin to fish? + +Piscator. We are not yet come to a likely place; I must walk a mile +further yet before I beam. + +Venator. Well then, I pray, as we walk, tell me freely, how do you like +your lodging, and mine host and the company? Is not mine host a witty +man? + +Piscator. Sir, I will tell you, presently, what I think of your host: +but, first, I will tell you, I am glad these Otters were killed; and I +am sorry there are no more Otter-killers; for I know that the want of +Otter-killers, and the not keeping the fence-months for the preservation +of fish, will, in time, prove the destruction of all rivers. And those +very few that are left, that make conscience of the laws of the nation, +and of keeping days of abstinence, will be forced to eat flesh, or +suffer more inconveniences than are yet foreseen. + +Venator. Why, Sir, what be those that you call the fence-months? + +Piscator. Sir, they be principally three, namely, March, April, and May: +for these be the usual months that Salmon come out of the sea to spawn +in most fresh rivers. And their fry would, about a certain time, return +back to the salt water, if they were not hindered by weirs and unlawful +gins, which the greedy fishermen set, and so destroy them by thousands; +as they would, being so taught by nature, change the fresh for salt +water. He that shall view the wise Statutes made in the 13th of Edward +the First, and the like in Richard the Second, may see several +provisions made against the destruction of fish: and though I profess no +knowledge of the law, yet I am sure the regulation of these defects +might be easily mended. But I remember that a wise friend of mine did +usually say, "that which is everybody's business is nobody's business": +if it were otherwise, there could not be so many nets and fish, that are +under the statute size, sold daily amongst us; and of which the +conservators of the waters should be ashamed. + +But, above all, the taking fish in spawning-time may be said to be +against nature: it is like taking the dam on the nest when she hatches +her young, a sin so against nature, that Almighty God hath in the +Levitical law made a law against it. + +But the poor fish have enemies enough besides such unnatural fishermen; +as namely, the Otters that I spake of, the Cormorant, the Bittern, the +Osprey, the Sea-gull, the Hern, the King-fisher, the Gorara, the Puet, +the Swan, Goose, Duck, and the Craber, which some call the Water-rat: +against all which any honest man may make a just quarrel, but I will +not; I will leave them to be quarrelled with and killed by others, for I +am not of a cruel nature, I love to kill nothing but fish. + +And, now, to your question concerning your host. To speak truly, he is +not to me a good companion, for most of his conceits were either +scripture jests, or lascivious jests, for which I count no man witty: +for the devil will help a man, that way inclined, to the first; and his +own corrupt nature, which he always carries with him, to the latter. But +a companion that feasts the company with wit and mirth, and leaves out +the sin which is usually mixed with them, he is the man, and indeed such +a companion should have his charges borne; and to such company I hope to +bring you this night; for at Trout-hall, not far from this place, where +I purpose to lodge to-night, there is usually an Angler that proves good +company. And let me tell you, good company and good discourse are the +very sinews of virtue. But for such discourse as we heard last night, it +infects others: the very boys will learn to talk and swear, as they +heard mine host, and another of the company that shall be nameless. I am +sorry the other is a gentleman, for less religion will not save their +souls than a beggar's: I think more will be required at the last great +day. Well! you know what example is able to do; and I know what the poet +says in the like case, which is worthy to be noted by all parents and +people of civility: + + ....many a one + Owes to his country his religion; + And in another, would as strongly grow, + Had but his nurse or mother taught him so. + +This is reason put into verse, and worthy the consideration of a wise +man. But of this no more; for though I love civility, yet I hate severe +censures. I'll to my own art; and I doubt not but at yonder tree I shall +catch a Chub: and then we'll turn to an honest cleanly hostess, that I +know right well; rest ourselves there; and dress it for our dinner. + +Venator. Oh, Sir! a Chub is the worst fish that swims; I hoped for a +Trout to my dinner. + +Piscator. Trust me, Sir, there is not a likely place for a Trout +hereabout: and we staid so long to take our leave of your huntsmen this +morning, that the sun is got so high, and shines so clear, that I will +not undertake the catching of a Trout till evening. And though a Chub +be, by you and many others, reckoned the worst of fish, yet you shall +see I'll make it a good fish by dressing it. + +Venator. Why, how will you dress him? + +Piscator. I'll tell you by-and-by, when I have caught him. Look you +here, Sir, do you see? but you must stand very close, there lie upon the +top of the water, in this very hole, twenty Chubs. I'll catch only one +and that shall be the biggest of them all: and that I will do so, I'll +hold you twenty to one, and you shall see it done. + +Venator. Ay, marry! Sir, now you talk like an artist, and I'll say you +are one, when I shall see you perform what you say you can do: but I yet +doubt it. + +Piscator. You shall not doubt it long; for you shall see me do it +presently. Look! the biggest of these Chubs has had some bruise upon his +tail, by a Pike or some other accident; and that looks like a white +spot. That very Chub I mean to put into your hands presently; sit you +but down in the shade, and stay but a little while; and I'll warrant +you, I'll bring him to you. + +Venator. I'll sit down; and hope well, because you seem to be so +confident. + +Piscator. Look you, Sir, there is a trial of my skill; there he is: that +very Chub, that I showed you, with the white spot on his tail. And I'll +be as certain to make him a good dish of meat as I was to catch him: +I'll now lead you to an honest ale-house, where we shall find a cleanly +room, lavender in the windows, and twenty ballads stuck about the wall. +There my hostess, which I may tell you is both cleanly, and handsome, +and civil, hath dressed many a one for me; and shall now dress it after +my fashion, and I warrant it good meat. + +Venator. Come, Sir, with all my heart, for I begin to be hungry, and +long to be at it, and indeed to rest myself too; for though I have +walked but four miles this morning, yet I begin to be weary; yesterday's +hunting hangs still upon me. + +Piscator. Well, Sir, and you shall quickly be at rest, for yonder is the +house I mean to bring you to. + +Come, hostess, how do you? Will you first give us a cup of your best +drink, and then dress this Chub, as you dressed my last, when I and my +friend were here about eight or ten days ago? But you must do me one +courtesy, it must be done instantly. + +Hostess. I will do it, Mr. Piscator, and with all the speed I can. + +Piscator. NOW, Sir, has not my hostess made haste? and does not the fish +look lovely? + +Venator. Both, upon my word, Sir; and therefore let's say grace and fall +to eating of it. + +Piscator. Well, Sir, how do you like it? + +Venator. Trust me, 'tis as good meat as I ever tasted. Now let me thank +you for it, drink to you and beg a courtesy of you; but it must not be +denied me. + +Piscator. What is it, I pray, Sir? You are so modest, that methinks I may +promise to grant it before it is asked. + +Venator. Why, Sir, it is, that from henceforth you would allow me to +call you Master, and that really I may be your scholar; for you are such +a companion, and have so quickly caught and so excellently cooked this +fish, as makes me ambitious to be your scholar. + +Piscator. Give me your hand; from this time forward I will be your +Master, and teach you as much of this art as I am able; and will, as you +desire me, tell you somewhat of the nature of most of the fish that we +are to angle for, and I am sure I both can and will tell you more than +any common angler yet knows. + + + + + +The third day-continued + + +How to fish for, and to dress, the Chavender of Chub + + +Chapter III + + +Piscator and Venator + + +Piscator. The Chub, though he eat well, thus dressed, yet as he is +usually dressed, he does not. He is objected against, not only for being +full of small forked bones, dispersed through all his body, but that he +eats waterish, and that the flesh of him is not firm, but short and +tasteless. The French esteem him so mean, as to call him Un Villain; +nevertheless he may be so dressed as to make him very good meat; as, +namely, if he be a large Chub, then dress him thus: + +First, scale him, and then wash him clean, and then take out his guts; +and to that end make the hole as little, and near to his gills, as you +may conveniently, and especially make clean his throat from the grass +and weeds that are usually in it; for if that be not very clean, it will +make him to taste very sour. Having so done, put some sweet herbs into +his belly; and then tie him with two or three splinters to a spit, and +roast him, basted often with vinegar, or rather verjuice and butter, +with good store of salt mixed with it. + +Being thus dressed, you will find him a much better dish of meat than +you, or most folk, even than anglers themselves, do imagine: for this +dries up the fluid watery humour with which all Chubs do abound. But +take this rule with you, That a Chub newly taken and newly dressed, is +so much better than a Chub of a day's keeping after he is dead, that I +can compare him to nothing so fitly as to cherries newly gathered from a +tree, and others that have been bruised and lain a day or two in water. +But the Chub being thus used, and dressed presently; and not washed +after he is gutted, for note, that lying long in water, and washing the +blood out of any fish after they be gutted, abates much of their +sweetness; you will find the Chub, being dressed in the blood, and +quickly, to be such meat as will recompense your labour, and disabuse +your opinion. + +Or you may dress the Chavender or Chub thus: + +When you have scaled him, and cut off his tail and fins, and washed him +very clean, then chine or slit him through the middle, as a salt-fish is +usually cut; then give him three or four cuts or scotches on the back +with your knife, and broil him on charcoal, or wood coal, that are free +from smoke; and all the time he is a-broiling, baste him with the best +sweet butter, and good store of salt mixed with it. And, to this, add a +little thyme cut exceedingly small, or bruised into the butter. The +Cheven thus dressed hath the watery taste taken away, for which so many +except against him. Thus was the Cheven dressed that you now liked so +well, and commended so much. But note again, that if this Chub that you +eat of had been kept till to-morrow, he had not been worth a rush. And +remember, that his throat be washed very clean, I say very clean, and +his body not washed after he is gutted, as indeed no fish should be. + +Well, scholar, you see what pains I have taken to recover the lost +credit of the poor despised Chub. And now I will give you some rules how +to catch him: and I am glad to enter you into the art of fishing by +catching a Chub, for there is no fish better to enter a young Angler, he +is so easily caught, but then it must be this particular way: + +Go to the same hole in which I caught my Chub, where, in most hot days, +you will find a dozen or twenty Chevens floating near the top of the +water. Get two or three grasshoppers, as you go over the meadow: and get +secretly behind the tree, and stand as free from motion as is possible. +Then put a grasshopper on your hook, and let your hook hang a quarter of +a yard short of the water, to which end you must rest your rod on some +bough of the tree. But it is likely the Chubs will sink down towards the +bottom of the water, at the first shadow of your rod (for Chub is the +fearfullest of fishes), and will do so if but a bird flies over him and +makes the least shadow on the water; but they will presently rise up to +the top again, and there lie soaring till some shadow affrights them +again. I say, when they lie upon the top of the water, look out the best +Chub, which you, setting yourself in a fit place, may very easily see, +and move your rod, as softly as a snail moves, to that Chub you intend +to catch; let your bait fall gently upon the water three or four inches +before him, and he will infallibly take the bait. And you will be as +sure to catch him; for he is one of the leather-mouthed fishes, of which +a hook does scarce ever lose its hold; and therefore give him play +enough before you offer to take him out of the water. Go your way +presently; take my rod, and do as I bid you; and I will sit down and +mend my tackling till you return back. + +Venator. Truly, my loving master, you have offered me as fair as I could +wish. I'll go and observe your directions. + +Look you, master, what I have done, that which joys my heart, caught +just such another Chub as yours was. + +Piscator. Marry, and I am glad of it: I am like to have a towardly +scholar of you. I now see, that with advice and practice, you will make +an Angler in a short time. Have but a love to it; and I'll warrant you. + +Venator. But, master! what if I could not have found a grasshopper? + +Piscator. Then I may tell you, That a black snail, with his belly slit, +to show his white, or a piece of soft cheese, will usually do as well. +Nay, sometimes a worm, or any kind of fly, as the ant-fly, the +flesh-fly, or wall-fly; or the dor or beetle which you may find under +cow-dung; or a bob which you will find in the same place, and in time +will be a beetle; it is a short white worm, like to and bigger than a +gentle; or a cod-worm; or a case-worm; any of these will do very well to +fish in such a manner. + +And after this manner you may catch a Trout in a hot evening: when, as +you walk by a brook, and shall see or hear him leap at flies, then, if +you get a grasshopper, put it on your hook, with your line about two +yards long; standing behind a bush or tree where his hole is: and make +your bait stir up and down on the top of the water. You may, if you +stand close, be sure of a bite, but not sure to catch him, for he is not +a leather-mouthed fish. And after this manner you may fish for him with +almost any kind of live fly, but especially with a grasshopper. + +Venator. But before you go further, I pray, good master, what mean you +by a leather-mouthed fish? + +Piscator. By a leather-mouthed fish, I mean such as have their teeth in +their throat, as the Chub or Cheven: and so the Barbel, the Gudgeon, and +Carp, and divers others have. And the hook being stuck into the leather, +or skin, of the mouth of such fish, does very seldom or never lose its +hold: but on the contrary, a Pike, a Perch, or Trout, and so some other +fish, which have not their teeth in their throats, but in their mouths, +which you shall observe to be very full of bones, and the skin very +thin, and little of it. I say, of these fish the hook never takes so +sure hold but you often lose your fish, unless he have gorged it. + +Venator. I thank you, good master, for this observation. But now what +shall be done with my Chub or Cheven that I have caught? + +Piscator. Marry, Sir, it shall be given away to some poor body; for I'll +warrant you I'll give you a Trout for your supper: and it is a good +beginning of your art to offer your first-fruits to the poor, who will +both thank you and God for it, which I see by your silence you seem to +consent to. And for your willingness to part with it so charitably, I +will also teach more concerning Chub-fishing. You are to note, that in +March and April he is usually taken with worms; in May, June, and July, +he will bite at any fly, or at cherries, or at beetles with their legs +and wings cut off, or at any kind of snail, or at the black bee that +breeds in clay walls. And he never refuses a grasshopper, on the top of +a swift stream, nor, at the bottom, the young humble bee that breeds in +long grass, and is ordinarily found by the mower of it. In August, and +in the cooler months, a yellow paste, made of the strongest cheese, and +pounded in a mortar, with a little butter and saffron, so much of it as, +being beaten small, will turn it to a lemon colour. And some make a +paste for the winter months, at which time the Chub is accounted best, +for then it is observed, that the forked bones are lost, or turned into +a kind of gristle, especially if he be baked, of cheese and turpentine. +He will bite also at a minnow, or peek, as a Trout will: of which I +shall tell you more hereafter, and of divers other baits. But take this +for a rule, that, in hot weather, he is to be fished for towards the +mid-water, or near the top; and in colder weather, nearer the bottom; +and if you fish for him on the top, with a beetle, or any fly, then be +sure to let your line be very long, and to keep out of sight. And having +told you, that his spawn is excellent meat, and that the head of a large +Cheven, the throat being well washed, is the best part of him, I will +say no more of this fish at the present, but wish you may catch the next +you fish for. + +But, lest you may judge me too nice in urging to have the Chub dressed +so presently after he is taken, I will commend to your consideration how +curious former times have been in the like kind. + +You shall read in Seneca, his Natural Questions, that the ancients were +so curious in the newness of their fish, that that seemed not new enough +that was not put alive into the guest's hand; and he says, that to that +end they did usually keep them living in glass bottles in their +dining-rooms, and they did glory much in their entertaining of friends, +to have that fish taken from under their table alive that was instantly +to be fed upon; and he says, they took great pleasure to see their +Mullets change to several colours when they were dying. But enough of +this; for I doubt I have staid too long from giving you some +Observations of the Trout, and how to fish for him, which shall take up +the next of my spare time. + + + +The third day-continued + + +On the Nature and Breeding of the Trout, and how to fish for him + + + + + +Chapter IV + + + +Piscator, Venator, Milk-woman, Maudlin, Hostess + + +Piscator. The Trout is a fish highly valued, both in this and foreign +nations. He may be justly said, as the old poet said of wine, and we +English say of venison, to be a generous fish: a fish that is so like +the buck, that he also has his seasons; for it is observed, that he +comes in and goes out of season with the stag and buck. Gesner says, his +name is of a German offspring; and says he is a fish that feeds clean +and purely, in the swiftest streams, and on the hardest gravel; and that +he may justly contend with all fresh water fish, as the Mullet may with +all sea fish, for precedency and daintiness of taste; and that being in +right season, the most dainty palates have allowed precedency to him. + +And before I go farther in my discourse, let me tell you, that you are +to observe, that as there be some barren does that are good in summer, +so there be some barren Trouts that are good in winter; but there are +not many that are so; for usually they be in their perfection in the +month of May, and decline with the buck. Now you are to take notice, +that in several countries, as in Germany, and in other parts, compared +to ours, fish do differ much in their bigness, and shape, and other +ways; and so do Trouts. It is well known that in the Lake Leman, the +Lake of Geneva, there are Trouts taken of three cubits long; as is +affirmed by Gesner, a writer of good credit: and Mercator says, the +Trouts that are taken in the Lake of Geneva are a great part of the +merchandize of that famous city. And you are further to know, that there +be certain waters that breed Trouts remarkable, both for their number +and smallness. I know a little brook in Kent, that breeds them to a +number incredible, and you may take them twenty or forty in an hour, but +none greater than about the size of a Gudgeon. There are also, in divers +rivers, especially that relate to, or be near to the sea, as Winchester, +or the Thames about Windsor, a little Trout called a Samlet, or Skegger +Trout, in both which places I have caught twenty or forty at a standing, +that will bite as fast and as freely as Minnows: these be by some taken +to be young Salmons; but in those waters they never grow to be bigger +than a Herring. + +There is also in Kent, near to Canterbury, a Trout called there a +Fordidge Trout, a Trout that bears the name of the town where it is +usually caught, that is accounted the rarest of fish; many of them near +the bigness of a Salmon, but known by their different colour; and in +their best season they cut very white: and none of these have been known +to be caught with an angle, unless it were one that was caught by Sir +George Hastings, an excellent angler, and now with God: and he hath told +me, he thought that Trout bit not for hunger but wantonness; and it is +the rather to be believed, because both he, then, and many others before +him, have been curious to search into their bellies, what the food was +by which they lived; and have found out nothing by which they might +satisfy their curiosity. + +Concerning which you are to take notice, that it is reported by good +authors, that grasshoppers and some fish have no mouths, but are +nourished and take breath by the porousness of their gills, man knows +not how: and this may be believed, if we consider that when the raven +hath hatched her eggs, she takes no further care, but leaves her young +ones to the care of the God of nature, who is said, in the Psalms, "to +feed the young ravens that call upon him ". And they be kept alive and +fed by a dew; or worms that breed in their nests; or some other ways +that we mortals know not. And this may be believed of the Fordidge +Trout, which, as it is said of the stork, that he knows his season, so +he knows his times, I think almost his day of coming into that river out +of the sea; where he lives, and, it is like, feeds, nine months of the +year, and fasts three in the river of Fordidge. And you are to note, +that those townsmen are very punctual in observing the time of beginning +to fish for them; and boast much, that their river affords a Trout that +exceeds all others. And just so does Sussex boast of several fish; as, +namely, a Shelsey Cockle, a Chichester Lobster, an Arundel Mullet, and +an Amerly Trout. + +And, now, for some confirmation of the Fordidge Trout: you are to know +that this Trout is thought to eat nothing in the fresh water; and it may +be the better believed, because it is well known, that swallows, and +bats, and wagtails, which are called half-year birds, and not seen to +fly in England for six months in the year, but about Michaelmas leave us +for a hotter climate, yet some of them that have been left behind their +fellows, have been found, many thousands at a time, in hollow trees, or +clay caves, where they have been observed to live, and sleep out the +whole winter, without meat. And so Albertus observes, that there is one +kind of frog that hath her mouth naturally shut up about the end of +August, and that she lives so all the winter: and though it be strange +to some, yet it is known to too many among us to be doubted. + +And so much for these Fordidge Trouts, which never afford an angler +sport, but either live their time of being in the fresh water, by their +meat formerly gotten in the sea, not unlike the swallow or frog, or, by +the virtue of the fresh water only; or, as the birds of Paradise and the +cameleon are said to live, by the sun and the air. + +There is also in Northumberland a Trout called a Bull-trout, of a much +greater length and bigness than any in these southern parts; and there +are, in many rivers that relate to the sea, Salmon-trouts, as much +different from others, both in shape and in their spots, as we see sheep +in some countries differ one from another in their shape and bigness, +and in the fineness of the wool: and, certainly, as some pastures breed +larger sheep; so do some rivers, by reason of the ground over which they +run, breed larger Trouts. + +Now the next thing that I will commend to your consideration is, that +the Trout is of a more sudden growth than other fish. Concerning which, +you are also to take notice, that he lives not so long as the Pearch, +and divers other fishes do, as Sir Francis Bacon hath observed in his +History of Life and Death. + +And next you are to take notice, that he is not like the Crocodile, +which if he lives never so long, yet always thrives till his death: but +'tis not so with the Trout; for after he is come to his full growth, he +declines in his body, and keeps his bigness, or thrives only in his head +till his death. And you are to know, that he will, about, especially +before, the time of his spawning, get, almost miraculously, through +weirs and flood-gates, against the stream; even through such high and +swift places as is almost incredible. Next, that the Trout usually +spawns about October or November, but in some rivers a little sooner or +later; which is the more observable, because most other fish spawn in +the spring or summer, when the sun hath warmed both the earth and water, +and made it fit for generation. And you are to note, that he continues +many months out of season; for it may be observed of the Trout, that he +is like the Buck or the Ox, that will not be fat in many months, though +he go in the very same pastures that horses do, which will be fat in one +month: and so you may observe, That most other fishes recover strength, +and grow sooner fat and in season than the Trout doth. + +And next you are to note, That till the sun gets to such a height as to +warm the earth and the water, the Trout is sick, and lean, and lousy, +and unwholesome; for you shall, in winter, find him to have a big head, +and, then, to be lank and thin and lean; at which time many of them have +sticking on them Sugs, or Trout-lice; which is a kind of a worm, in +shape like a clove, or pin with a big head, and sticks close to him, and +sucks his moisture, those, I think, the Trout breeds himself: and never +thrives till he free himself from them, which is when warm weather +comes; and, then, as he grows stronger, he gets from the dead still +water into the sharp streams and the gravel, and, there, rubs off these +worms or lice; and then, as he grows stronger, so he gets him into +swifter and swifter streams, and there lies at the watch for any fly or +minnow that comes near to him; and he especially loves the May-fly, +which is bred of the cod-worm, or cadis; and these make the Trout bold +and lusty, and he is usually fatter and better meat at the end of that +month than at any time of the year. + +Now you are to know that it is observed, that usually the best Trouts +are either red or yellow; though some, as the Fordidge Trout, be white +and yet good; but that is not usual: and it is a note observable, that +the female Trout hath usually a less head, and a deeper body than the +male Trout, and is usually the better meat. And note, that a hog back +and a little head, to either Trout, Salmon or any other fish, is a sign +that that fish is in season. + +But yet you are to note, that as you see some willows or palm-trees bud +and blossom sooner than others do, so some Trouts be, in rivers, sooner +in season: and as some hollies, or oaks, are longer before they cast +their leaves, so are some Trouts, in rivers, longer before they go out +of season. + +And you are to note, that there are several kinds of Trouts: but these +several kinds are not considered but by very few men; for they go under +the general name of Trouts; just as pigeons do, in most places; though +it is certain, there are tame and wild pigeons; and of the tame, there +be hermits and runts, and carriers and cropers, and indeed too many to +name. Nay, the Royal Society have found and published lately, that there +be thirty and three kinds of spiders; and yet all, for aught I know, go +under that one general name of spider. And it is so with many kinds of +fish, and of Trouts especially; which differ in their bigness, and +shape, and spots, and colour. The great Kentish hens may be an instance, +compared to other hens: and, doubtless, there is a kind of small Trout, +which will never thrive to be big; that breeds very many more than +others do, that be of a larger size: which you may rasher believe, if +you consider that the little wren and titmouse will have twenty young +ones at a time, when, usually, the noble hawk, or the musical thrassel +or blackbird, exceed not four or five. + +And now you shall see me try my skill to catch a Trout; and at my next +walking, either this evening or to-morrow morning, I will give you +direction how you yourself shall fish for him. + +Venator. Trust me, master, I see now it is a harder matter to catch a +Trout than a Chub; for I have put on patience, and followed you these +two hours, and not seen a fish stir, neither at your minnow nor your +worm. + +Piscator. Well, scholar, you must endure worse luck sometime, or you +will never make a good angler. But what say you now? there is a Trout +now, and a good one too, if I can but hold him; and two or three turns +more will tire him. Now you see he lies still, and the sleight is to +land him: reach me that landing-net. So, Sir, now he is mine own: what +say you now, is not this worth all my labour and your patience? + +Venator. On my word, master, this is a gallant Trout; what shall we do +with him? + +Piscator. Marry, e'en eat him to supper: we'll go to my hostess from +whence we came; she told me, as I was going out of door, that my brother +Peter, a good angler and a cheerful companion, had sent word he would +lodge there to-night, and bring a friend with him. My hostess has two +beds, and I know you and I may have the best: we'll rejoice with my +brother Peter and his friend, tell tales, or sing ballads, or make a +catch, or find some harmless sport to content us, and pass away a little +time without offence to God or man. + +Venator. A match, good master, let's go to that house, for the linen +looks white, and smells of lavender, and I long to lie in a pair of +sheets that smell so. Let's be going, good master, for I am hungry again +with fishing. + +Piscator. Nay, stay a little, good scholar. I caught my last Trout with +a worm; now I will put on a minnow, and try a quarter of an hour about +yonder trees for another; and, so, walk towards our lodging. Look you, +scholar, thereabout we shall have a bite presently, or not at all. Have +with you, Sir: o' my word I have hold of him. Oh! it is a great +logger-headed Chub; come, hang him upon that willow twig, and let's be +going. But turn out of the way a little, good scholar! toward yonder +high honeysuckle hedge; there we'll sit and sing whilst this shower +falls so gently upon the teeming earth, and gives yet a sweeter smell to +the lovely flowers that adorn these verdant meadows. + +Look! under that broad beech-tree I sat down, when I was last this way +a-fishing; and the birds in the adjoining grove seemed to have a +friendly contention with an echo, whose dead voice seemed to live in a +hollow tree near to the brow of that primrose-hill. There I sat viewing +the silver streams glide silently towards their centre, the tempestuous +sea; yet sometimes opposed by rugged roots and pebble-stones, which +broke their waves, and turned them into foam; and sometimes I beguiled +time by viewing the harmless lambs; some leaping securely in the cool +shade, whilst others sported themselves in the cheerful sun; and saw +others craving comfort from the swollen udders of their bleating dams. +As I thus sat, these and other sights had so fully possess my soul with +content, that I thought, as the poet has happily express it, + + I was for that time lifted above earth, + And possest joys not promis'd in my birth. + +As I left this place, and entered into the next field, a second pleasure +entertained me; 'twas a handsome milk-maid, that had not yet attained so +much age and wisdom as to load her mind with any fears of many things +that will never be, as too many men too often do; but she cast away all +care, and sung like a nightingale. Her voice was good, and the ditty +fitted for it; it was that smooth song which was made by Kit Marlow, now +at least fifty years ago; and the milk-maid's mother sung an answer to +it, which was made by Sir Walter Raleigh, in his younger days. They were +old-fashioned poetry, but choicely good; I think much better than the +strong lines that are now in fashion in this critical age. Look yonder! +on my word, yonder, they both be a-milking again. I will give her the +Chub, and persuade them to sing those two songs to us. + +God speed you, good woman! I have been a-fishing; and am going to Bleak +Hall to my bed; and having caught more fish than will sup myself and my +friend, I will bestow this upon you and your daughter, for I use to sell +none. + +Milk-woman. Marry! God requite you, Sir, and we'll eat it cheerfully. +And if you come this way a-fishing two months hence, a grace of God! +I'll give you a syllabub of new verjuice, in a new-made hay-cock, for +it. And my Maudlin shall sing you one of her best ballads; for she and I +both love all anglers, they be such honest, civil, quiet men. In the +meantime will you drink a draught of red cow's milk? you shall have it +freely. + +Piscator. No, I thank you; but, I pray, do us a courtesy that shall +stand you and your daughter in nothing, and yet we will think ourselves +still something in your debt: it is but to sing us a song that was sung +by your daughter when I last passed over this meadow, about eight or +nine days since. + +Milk-woman. What song was it, I pray? Was it, "Come, Shepherds, deck +your herds "? or, "As at noon Dulcina rested"? or, "Phillida flouts +me"? or, "Chevy Chace"? or, "Johnny Armstrong"? or, "Troy Town"? + +Piscator. No, it is none of those; it is a Song that your daughter sung +the first part, and you sung the answer to it. + +Milk-woman. O, I know it now. I learned the first part in my golden age, +when I was about the age of my poor daughter; and the latter part, which +indeed fits me best now, but two or three years ago, when the cares of +the world began to take hold of me: but you shall, God willing, hear +them both; and sung as well as we can, for we both love anglers. Come, +Maudlin, sing the first part to the gentlemen, with a merry heart; and +I'll sing the second when you have done. + + The Milk-maid's song. + + Come live with me, and be my love, + And we will all the pleasures prove, + That valleys, groves, or hills, or fields, + Or woods, and steepy mountains yields; + + Where we will sit upon the rocks, + And see the shepherds feed our flocks, + By shallow rivers, to whose falls + Melodious birds sing madrigals. + + And I will make thee beds of roses; + And, then, a thousand fragrant posies; + A cap of flowers, and a kirtle, + Embroidered all with leaves of myrtle; + + A gown made of the finest wool + Which from our pretty lambs we pull + Slippers, lin'd choicely for the cold, + With buckles of the purest gold; + + A belt of straw and ivy-buds, + With coral clasps, and amber studs. + And if these pleasures may thee move, + Come, live with me, and be my love, + + Thy silver dishes, for thy meat + As precious as the Gods do eat + Shall, on an ivory table, be + Prepared each day for thee and me. + + The shepherd swains shall dance and sing + For thy delight, each May morning. + If these delights thy mind may move, + Then live with me, and be my love. + +Venator. Trust me, master, it is a choice song, and sweetly sung by +honest Maudlin. I now see it was not without cause that our good queen +Elizabeth did so often wish herself a milk-maid all the month of May, +because they are not troubled with fears and cares, but sing sweetly all +the day, and sleep securely all the night: and without doubt, honest, +innocent, pretty Maudlin does so. I'll bestow Sir Thomas Overbury's +milk-maid's wish upon her, "that she may die in the Spring; and, being +dead, may have good store of flowers stuck round about her +winding-sheet". + + The Milk-maid's mother's answer + + If all the world and love were young + And truth in every shepherd's tongue, + These pretty pleasures might me move + To live with thee, and be thy love. + + But Time drives flocks from field to fold. + When rivers rage, and rocks grow cold + Then Philomel becometh dumb + And age complains of cares to come. + + The flowers do fade, and wanton fields + To wayward winter reckoning yields. + A honey tongue, a heart of gall, + Is fancy's spring but sorrow's fall. + + Thy gowns, thy shoes, thy beds of roses, + Thy cap, thy kirtle, and thy posies, + Soon break, soon wither, soon forgotten; + In folly rise, in reason rotten. + + Thy belt of straw, and ivy buds, + Thy coral clasps, and amber studs, + All these in me no means can move + To come to thee, and be thy love. + + What should we talk of dainties, then, + Of better meat than's fit for men? + These are but vain: that's only good + Which God hath blessed and sent for food. + + But could youth last, and love still breed; + Had joys no date, nor age no need; + Then those delights my mind might move + To live with thee, and be thy love. + +Mother. Well! I have done my song. But stay, honest anglers; for I will +make Maudlin sing you one short song more. Maudlin! sing that song that +you sung last night, when young Coridon the shepherd played so purely on +his oaten pipe to you and your cousin Betty. + +Maudlin. I will, mother. + + I married a wife of late, + The more's my unhappy fate: + I married her for love, + As my fancy did me move, + And not for a worldly estate: + + But oh! the green sickness + Soon changed her likeness; + And all her beauty did fail. + But 'tis not so + With those that go + Thro'frost and snow + As all men know, + And carry the milking-pail. + +Piscator. Well sung, good woman; I thank you. I'll give you another dish +of fish one of these days; and then beg another song of you. Come, +scholar! let Maudlin alone: do not you offer to spoil her voice. Look! +yonder comes mine hostess, to call us to supper. How now! is my brother +Peter come? + +Hostess. Yes, and a friend with him. They are both glad to hear that you +are in these parts; and long to see you; and long to be at supper, for +they be very hungry. + + + + + +The third day-continued + +On the Trout + +Chapter V + +Piscator, Peter, Venator, Coridon + + +Piscator. Well met, brother Peter! I heard you and a friend would lodge +here to-night; and that hath made me to bring my friend to lodge here +too. My friend is one that would fain be a brother of the angle: he hath +been an angler but this day; and I have taught him how to catch a Chub, +by dapping with a grasshopper; and the Chub he caught was a lusty one of +nineteen inches long. But pray, brother Peter, who is your companion? + +Peter. Brother Piscator, my friend is an honest countryman, and his name +is Coridon; and he is a downright witty companion, that met me here +purposely to be pleasant and eat a Trout; and I have not yet wetted my +line since we met together: but I hope to fit him with a Trout for his +breakfast; for I'll be early up. + +Piscator. Nay, brother, you shall not stay so long; for, look you! here +is a Trout will fill six reasonable bellies. + +Come, hostess, dress it presently; and get us what other meat the house +will afford; and give us some of your best barley-wine, the good liquor +that our honest forefathers did use to think of; the drink which +preserved their health, and made them live so long, and to do so many +good deeds. + +Peter. On my word, this Trout is perfect in season. Come, I thank you, +and here is a hearty draught to you, and to all the brothers of the +angle wheresoever they be, and to my young brother's good fortune +to-morrow. I will furnish him with a rod, if you will furnish him with +the rest of the tackling: we will set him up, and make him a fisher. And +I will tell him one thing for his encouragement, that his fortune hath +made him happy to be scholar to such a master; a master that knows as +much, both of the nature and breeding of fish, as any man; and can also +tell him as well how to catch and cook them, from the Minnow to the +Salmon, as any that I ever met withal. + +Piscator. Trust me, brother Peter, I find my scholar to be so suitable +to my own humour, which is to be free and pleasant and civilly merry, +that my resolution is to hide nothing that I know from him. Believe me, +scholar, this is my resolution; and so here's to you a hearty draught, +and to all that love us and the honest art of Angling. + +Venator. Trust me, good master, you shall not sow your seed in barren +ground; for I hope to return you an increase answerable to your hopes: +but, however, you shall find me obedient, and thankful, and serviceable +to my best ability. + +Piscator. 'Tis enough, honest scholar! come, let's to supper. Come, my +friend Coridon, this Trout looks lovely; it was twenty-two inches when +it was taken; and the belly of it looked, some part of it, as yellow as +a marigold, and part of it as white as a lily; and yet, methinks, it +looks better in this good sauce. + +Coridon. Indeed, honest friend, it looks well, and tastes well: I thank +you for it, and so doth my friend Peter, or else he is to blame. + +Peter. Yes, and so I do; we all thank you: and, when we have supped, I +will get my friend Coridon to sing you a song for requital. + +Coridon. I will sing a song, if anybody will sing another, else, to be +plain with you, I will sing none. I am none of those that sing for meat, +but for company: I say, + +'"Tis merry in hall, When men sing all." + +Piscator. I'll promise you I'll sing a song that was lately made, at my +request, by Mr. William Basse; one that hath made the choice songs of +the "Hunter in his Career," and of "Tom of Bedlam," and many others of +note; and this, that I will sing, is in praise of Angling. + +Coridon. And then mine shall be the praise of a Countryman's life. What +will the rest sing of? + +Peter. I will promise you, I will sing another song in praise of Angling +to-morrow night; for we will not part till then; but fish to-morrow, and +sup together: and the next day every man leave fishing, and fall to his +business. + +Venator. Tis a match; and I will provide you a song or a catch against +then, too, which shall give some addition of mirth to the company; for +we will be civil and as merry as beggars. + +Piscator. Tis a match, my masters. Let's e'en say grace, and turn to the +fire, drink the other cup to whet our whistles, and so sing away all sad +thoughts. Come on, my masters, who begins? I think it is best to draw +cuts, and avoid contention. + +Peter. It is a match. Look, the shortest cut falls to Coridon. + +Coridon. Well, then, I will begin, for I hate contention + + Coridon's song. + + Oh the sweet contentment + The countryman doth find! + Heigh trolollie lollie foe, + Heigh trolollie lee. + That quiet contemplation + Possesseth all my mind: + Then care away + And wend along with me. + + For Courts are full of flattery, + As hath too oft been tried + Heigh trolollie lollie foe, etc., + The city full of wantonness, + And both are full of pride: + Then care away, etc. + + But oh, the honest countryman + Speaks truly from his heart + Heigh trolollie lollie foe, etc. + His pride is in his tillage, + His horses, and his cart: + Then care away, etc. + + Our cloathing is good sheep-skins + Grey russet for our wives + Heigh trolollie lollie loe, etc. + 'Tis warmth and not gay cloathing + That doth prolong our lives: + Then care away, etc. + + The ploughman, tho' he labour hard, + Yet on the holy-day + Heigh trolollie lollie foe, etc. + No emperor so merrily + Does pass his time away: + Then care away, etc. + + To recompense our tillage, + The heavens afford us showers + Heigh trolollie lollie foe, etc. + And for our sweet refreshment. + The earth affords us bowers: + Then care away, etc. + + The cuckow and the nightingale + Full merrily do sing, + Heigh trolollie lollie foe, etc. + And with their pleasant roundelays + Bid welcome to the spring: + Then care away, etc. + + This is not half the happiness + The countryman enjoys + Heigh trolollie lollie foe, etc., + Though others think they have as much, + Yet he that says so lies: + Then come away, + Turn countrymen with me. + + Jo. Chalkhill. + +Piscator. Well sung, Coridon, this song was sung with mettle; and it was +choicely fitted to the occasion: I shall love you for it as long as I +know you. I would you were a brother of the angle; for a companion that +is cheerful, and free from swearing and scurrilous discourse, is worth +gold. I love such mirth as does not make friends ashamed to look upon +one another next morning; nor men, that cannot well bear it, to repent +the money they spend when they be warmed with drink. And take this for a +rule: you may pick out such times and such companies, that you make +yourselves merrier for a little than a great deal of money; for "'Tis +the company and not the charge that makes the feast"; and such a +companion you prove: I thank you for it. + +But I will not compliment you out of the debt that I owe you, and +therefore I will begin my song, and wish it may be so well liked. + + The Angler's song. + + As inward love breeds outward talk + The hound some praise, and some the hawk + Some, better pleas'd with private sport + Use tennis, some a mistress court: + But these delights I neither wish + Nor envy, while I freely fish. + + Who hunts, doth oft in danger ride; + Who hawks, lures oft both far and wide + Who uses games shall often prove + A loser, but who falls in love, + Is fetter'd in fond Cupid's snare: + My angle breeds me no such care. + + Of recreation there is none + So free as fishing is alone; + All other pastimes do no less + Than mind and body both possess: + My hand alone my work can do, + So I can fish and study too. + + I care not, I, to fish in seas, + Fresh rivers best my mind do please, + Whose sweet calm course I contemplate, + And seek in life to imitate: + In civil bounds I fain would keep, + And for my past offences weep. + + And when the timorous Trout I wait + To take, and he devours my bait, + How poor a thing, sometimes I find, + Will captivate a greedy mind: + And when none bite, I praise the wise + Whom vain allurements ne'er surprise. + + But yet, though while I fish, I fast, + I make good fortune my repast; + And thereunto my friend invite, + In whom I more than that delight: + Who is more welcome to my dish + Than to my angle was my fish. + + As well content no prize to take, + As use of taken prize to make: + For so our Lord was pleased, when + He fishers made fishers of men; + Where, which is in no other game, + A man may fish and praise his name. + + The first men that our Saviour dear + Did choose to wait upon him here, + Blest fishers were, and fish the last + Food was that he on earth did taste: + I therefore strive to follow those + Whom he to follow him hath chose. + + W. B. + +Coridon. Well sung, brother, you have paid your debt in good coin. We +anglers are all beholden to the good man that made this song: come, +hostess, give us more ale, and let's drink to him. And now let's every +one go to bed, that we may rise early: but first let's pay our +reckoning, for I will have nothing to hinder me in the morning; for my +purpose is to prevent the sun-rising. + +Peter. A match. Come, Coridon, you are to be my bed-fellow. I know, +brother, you and your scholar will lie together. But where shall we meet +to-morrow night? for my friend Coridon and I will go up the water +towards Ware. + +Piscator. And my scholar and I will go down towards Waltham. + +Coridon. Then let's meet here, for here are fresh sheets that smell of +lavender; and I am sure we cannot expect better meat, or better usage in +any place. + +Peter. 'Tis a match. Good-night to everybody. + +Piscator. And so say I. + +Venator. And so say I. + + + + +The fourth day + + +Piscator. Good-morrow, good hostess, I see my brother Peter is still in +bed. Come, give my scholar and me a morning drink, and a bit of meat to +breakfast: and be sure to get a dish of meat or two against supper, for +we shall come home as hungry as hawks. Come, scholar, let's be going. + +Venator. Well now, good master, as we walk towards the river, give me +direction, according to your promise, how I shall fish for a Trout. + +Piscator. My honest scholar, I will take this very convenient +opportunity to do it. + +The Trout is usually caught with a worm, or a minnow, which some call a +peek, or with a fly, viz. either a natural or an artificial fly: +concerning which three, I will give you some observations and +directions. + +And, first, for worms. Of these there be very many sorts: some breed +only in the earth, as the earth-worm; others of, or amongst plants, as +the dug-worm; and others breed either out of excrements, or in the +bodies of living creatures, as in the horns of sheep or deer; or some of +dead flesh, as the maggot or gentle, and others. + +Now these be most of them particularly good for particular fishes. But +for the Trout, the dew-worm, which some also call the lob-worm, and the +brandling, are the chief; and especially the first for a great Trout, +and the latter for a less. There be also of lob-worms, some called +squirrel-tails, a worm that has a red head, a streak down the back, and +a broad tail, which are noted to be the best, because they are the +toughest and most lively, and live longest in the water; for you are to +know that a dead worm is but a dead bait, and like to catch nothing, +compared to a lively, quick, stirring worm. And for a brandling, he is +usually found in an old dunghill, or some very rotten place near to it, +but most usually in cow-dung, or hog's-dung, rather than horse-dung, +which is somewhat too hot and dry for that worm. But the best of them +are to be found in the bark of the tanners, which they cast up in heaps +after they have used it about their leather. + +There are also divers other kinds of worms, which, for colour and shape, +alter even as the ground out of which they are got; as the marsh-worm, +the tag-tail, the flag-worm, the dock-worm, the oak-worm, the gilt-tail, +the twachel or lob-worm, which of all others is the most excellent bait +for a salmon, and too many to name, even as many sorts as some think +there be of several herbs or shrubs, or of several kinds of birds in the +air: of which I shall say no more, but tell you, that what worms soever +you fish with, are the better for being well scoured, that is, long kept +before they be used: and in case you have not been so provident, then +the way to cleanse and scour them quickly, is, to put them all night in +water, if they be lob-worms, and then put them into your bag with +fennel. But you must not put your brandlings above an hour in water, and +then put them into fennel, for sudden use: but if you have time, and +purpose to keep them long, then they be best preserved in an earthen +pot, with good store of moss, which is to be fresh every three or four +days in summer, and every week or eight days in winter; or, at least, +the moss taken from them, and clean washed, and wrung betwixt your hands +till it be dry, and then put it to them again. And when your worms, +especially the brandling, begins to be sick and lose of his bigness, +then you may recover him, by putting a little milk or cream, about a +spoonful in a day, into them, by drops on the moss; and if there be +added to the cream an egg beaten and boiled in it, then it will both +fatten and preserve them long. And note, that when the knot, which is +near to the middle of the brandling, begins to swell, then he is sick; +and, if he be not well looked to, is near dying. And for moss, you are +to note, that there be divers kinds of it, which I could name to you, +but I will only tell you that that which is likest a buck's-horn is the +best, except it be soft white moss, which grows on some heaths, and is +hard to be found. And note, that in a very dry time, when you are put to +an extremity for worms, walnut-tree leaves squeezed into water, or salt +in water, to make it bitter or salt, and then that water poured on the +ground where you shall see worms are used to rise in the night, will +make them to appear above ground presently. And you may take notice, +some say that camphire put into your bag with your moss and worms gives +them a strong and so tempting a smell, that the fish fare the worse and +you the better for it. + +And now, I shall shew you how to bait your hook with a worm so as shall +prevent you from much trouble, and the loss of many a hook, too, when +you fish for a Trout with a running line; that is to say, when you fish +for him by hand at the ground. I will direct you in this as plainly as I +can, that you may not mistake. + +Suppose it be a big lob-worm: put your hook into him somewhat above the +middle, and out again a little below the middle: having so done, draw +your worm above the arming of your hook; but note, that, at the entering +of your hook, it must not be at the head-end of the worm, but at the +tail-end of him, that the point of your hook may come out toward the +head-end; and, having drawn him above the arming of your hook, then put +the point of your hook again into the very head of the worm, till it +come near to the place where the point of the hook first came out, and +then draw back that part of the worm that was above the shank or arming +of your hook, and so fish with it. And if you mean to fish with two +worms, then put the second on before you turn back the hook's-head of +the first worm. You cannot lose above two or three worms before you +attain to what I direct you; and having attained it, you will find it +very useful, and thank me for it: for you will run on the ground without +tangling. + +Now for the Minnow or Penk: he is not easily found and caught till +March, or in April, for then he appears first in the river; nature +having taught him to shelter and hide himself, in the winter, in ditches +that be near to the river; and there both to hide, and keep himself +warm, in the mud, or in the weeds, which rot not so soon as in a running +river, in which place if he were in winter, the distempered floods that +are usually in that season would suffer him to take no rest, but carry +him headlong to mills and weirs, to his confusion. And of these Minnows: +first, you are to know, that the biggest size is not the best; and next, +that the middle size and the whitest are the best; and then you are to +know, that your minnow must be so put on your hook, that it must turn +round when 'tis drawn against the stream; and, that it may turn nimbly, +you must put it on a big-sized hook, as I shall now direct you, which is +thus: Put your hook in at his mouth, and out at his gill; then, having +drawn your hook two or three inches beyond or through his gill, put it +again into his mouth, and the point and beard out at his tail; and then +tie the hook and his tail about, very neatly, with a white thread, which +will make it the apter to turn quick in the water; that done, pull back +that part of your line which was slack when you did put your hook into +the minnow the second time; I say, pull that part of your line back, so +that it shall fasten the head, so that the body of the minnow shall be +almost straight on your hook: this done, try how it will turn, by +drawing it across the water or against a stream; and if it do not turn +nimbly, then turn the tail a little to the right or left hand, and try +again, till it turn quick; for if not, you are in danger to catch +nothing: for know, that it is impossible that it should turn too quick. +And you are yet to know, that in case you want a minnow, then a small +loach, or a stickle-bag, or any other small fish that will turn quick, +will serve as well. And you are yet to know that you may salt them, and +by that means keep them ready and fit for use three or four days, or +longer; and that, of salt, bay-salt is the best. + +And here let me tell you, what many old anglers know right well, that at +some times, and in some waters, a minnow is not to be got; and +therefore, let me tell you, I have, which I will shew to you, an +artificial minnow, that will catch a Trout as well as an artificial fly: +and it was made by a handsome woman that had a fine hand, and a live +minnow lying by her: the mould or body of the minnow was cloth, and +wrought upon, or over it, thus, with a needle; the back of it with very +sad French green silk, and paler green silk towards the belly, shadowed +as perfectly as you can imagine, just as you see a minnow: the belly was +wrought also with a needle, and it was, a part of it, white silk; and +another part of it with silver thread: the tail and fins were of a +quill, which was shaven thin: the eyes were of two little black beads: +and the head was so shadowed, and all of it so curiously wrought, and so +exactly dissembled, that it would beguile any sharp-sighted Trout in a +swift stream. And this minnow I will now shew you; look, here it is, +and, if you like it, lend it you, to have two or three made by it; for +they be easily carried about an angler, and be of excellent use: for +note, that a large Trout will come as fiercely at a minnow as the +highest-mettled hawk doth seize on a partridge, or a greyhound on a +hare. I have been told that one hundred and sixty minnows have been +found in a Trout's belly: either the Trout had devoured so many, or the +miller that gave it a friend of mine had forced them down his throat +after he had taken him. + +Now for Flies; which is the third bait wherewith Trouts are usually +taken. You are to know, that there are so many sorts of flies as there +be of fruits: I will name you but some of them; as the dun-fly, the +stone-fly, the red-fly, the moor-fly, the tawny-fly, the shell-fly, the +cloudy or blackish-fly, the flag-fly, the vine-fly; there be of flies, +caterpillars, and canker-flies, and bear-flies; and indeed too many +either for me to name, or for you to remember. And their breeding is so +various and wonderful, that I might easily amaze myself, and tire you in +a relation of them. + +And, yet, I will exercise your promised patience by saying a little of +the caterpillar, or the palmer-fly or worm; that by them you may guess +what a work it were, in a discourse, but to run over those very many +flies, worms, and little living creatures, with which the sun and summer +adorn and beautify the river-banks and meadows, both for the recreation +and contemplation of us anglers; pleasures which, I think, myself enjoy +more than any other man that is not of my profession. + +Pliny holds an opinion, that many have their birth, or being, from a dew +that in the spring falls upon the leaves of trees; and that some kinds +of them are from a dew left upon herbs or flowers; and others from a dew +left upon coleworts or cabbages: all which kinds of dews being thickened +and condensed, are by the sun's generative heat, most of them, hatched, +and in three days made living creatures, and these of several shapes and +colours; some being hard and tough, some smooth and soft; some are +horned in their head, some in their tail, some have none; some have +hair, some none: some have sixteen feet, some less, and some have none: +but, as our Topsel hath with great diligence observed, those which have +none, move upon the earth, or upon broad leaves, their motion being not +unlike to the waves of the sea. Some of them he also observes to be bred +of the eggs of other caterpillars, and that those in their time turn to +be butterflies; and again, that their eggs turn the following year to be +caterpillars. And some affirm, that every plant has its particular fly or +caterpillar, which it breeds and feeds. I have seen, and may therefore +affirm it, a green caterpillar, or worm, as big as a small peascod, +which had fourteen legs; eight on the belly, four under the neck, and +two near the tail. It was found on a hedge of privet; and was taken +thence, and put into a large box, and a little branch or two of privet +put to it, on which I saw it feed as sharply as a dog gnaws a bone: it +lived thus, five or six days, and thrived, and changed the colour two or +three times but by some neglect in the keeper of it, it then died and +did not turn to a fly: but if it had lived, it had doubtless turned to +one of those flies that some call Flies of prey, which those that walk +by the rivers may, in summer, see fasten on smaller flies, and, I think, +make them their food. And 'tis observable, that as there be these flies +of prey, which be very large; so there be others, very little, created, +I think, only to feed them, and breed out of I know not what; whose +life, they say, nature intended not to exceed an hour; and yet that life +is thus made shorter by other flies, or accident. + +'Tis endless to tell you what the curious searchers into nature's +productions have observed of these worms and flies: but yet I shall tell +you what Aldrovandus, our Topsel, and others, say of the Palmer-worm, or +Caterpillar: that whereas others content themselves to feed on +particular herbs or leaves; for most think, those very leaves that gave +them life and shape, give them a particular feeding and nourishment, and +that upon them they usually abide; yet he observes, that this is called +a pilgrim, or palmer-worm, for his very wandering life, and various +food; not contenting himself, as others do, with any one certain place +for his abode, nor any certain kind of herb or flower for his feeding, +but will boldly and disorderly wander up and down, and not endure to be +kept to a diet, or fixt to a particular place. + +Nay, the very colours of caterpillars are, as one has observed, very +elegant and beautiful I shall, for a taste of the rest, describe one of +them; which I will, some time the next month, shew you feeding on a +willow-tree; and you shall find him punctually to answer this very +description: his lips and mouth somewhat yellow; his eyes black as jet; +his forehead purple; his feet and hinder parts green; his tail +two-forked and black; the whole body stained with a kind of red spots, +which run along the neck and shoulder-blade, not unlike the form of St. +Andrew's cross, or the letter X, made thus crosswise, and a white line +drawn down his back to his tail; all which add much beauty to his whole +body. And it is to me observable, that at a fixed age this caterpillar +gives over to eat, and towards winter comes to be covered over with a +strange shell or crust, called an aurelia; and so lives a kind of dead +life, without eating all the winter. And as others of several kinds turn +to be several kinds of flies and vermin, the Spring following; so this +caterpillar then turns to be a painted butterfly. + +Come, come, my scholar, you see the river stops our morning walk: and I +will also here stop my discourse: only as we sit down under this +honeysuckle hedge, whilst I look a line to fit the rod that our brother +Peter hath lent you, I shall, for a little confirmation of what I have +said, repeat the observation of Du Bartas: + + God, not contented to each kind to give + And to infuse the virtue generative, + Made, by his wisdom, many creatures breed + Of lifeless bodies, without Venus' deed. + + So, the cold humour breeds the Salamander, + Who, in effect, like to her birth's commander, + With child with hundred winters, with her touch + Quencheth the fire, tho'glowing ne'er so much. + + So of the fire, in burning furnace, springs + The fly Pyrausta with the flaming wings: + Without the fire, it dies: within it joys, + Living in that which each shine else destroys. + + So, slow Boôtes underneath him sees + In th' icy isles those goslings hatch'd of trees; + Whose fruitful leaves, falling into the water, + Are turn'd, they say, to living fowls soon after. + + So, rotten sides of broken ships do change + To barnacles. O transformation strange! + 'Twas first a green tree; then, a gallant hull; + Lately a mushroom; now, a flying gull. + +Venator. O my good master, this morning-walk has been spent to my great +pleasure and wonder: but, I pray, when shall I have your direction how +to make artificial flies, like to those that the Trout loves best; and, +also, how to use them? + +Piscator. My honest scholar, it is now past five of the clock: we will +fish till nine; and then go to breakfast. Go you to yonder +sycamore-tree, and hide your bottle of drink under the hollow root of +it; for about that time, and in that place, we will make a brave +breakfast with a piece of powdered beef, and a radish or two, that I +have in my fish bag: we shall, I warrant you, make a good, honest, +wholesome hungry breakfast. And I will then give you direction for the +making and using of your flies: and in the meantime, there is your rod +and line; and my advice is, that you fish as you see me do, and let's +try which can catch the first fish. + +Venator. I thank you, master. I will observe and practice your direction +as far as I am able. + +Piscator. Look you, scholar; you see I have hold of a good fish: I now +see it is a Trout. I pray, put that net under him; and touch not my +line, for if you do, then we break all. Well done, scholar: I thank you. + +Now for another. Trust me, I have another bite. Come, scholar, come lay +down your rod, and help me to land this as you did the other. So now we +shall be sure to have a good dish of fish for supper. + +Venator. I am glad of that: but I have no fortune: sure, master, yours +is a better rod and better tackling. + +Piscator. Nay, then, take mine; and I will fish with yours. Look you, +scholar, I have another. Come, do as you did before. And now I have a +bite at another. Oh me! he has broke all: there's half a line and a good +hook lost. + +Venator. Ay, and a good Trout too. + +Piscator. Nay, the Trout is not lost; for pray take notice, no man can +lose what he never had. + +Venator. Master, I can neither catch with the first nor second angle: I +have no fortune. + +Piscator. Look you, scholar, I have yet another. And now, having caught +three brace of Trouts, I will tell you a short tale as we walk towards +our breakfast. A scholar, a preacher I should say, that was to preach to +procure the approbation of a parish that he might be their lecturer, had +got from his fellow-pupil the copy of a sermon that was first preached +with great commendation by him that composed it: and though the borrower +of it preached it, word for word, as it was at first, yet it was utterly +disliked as it was preached by the second to his congregation, which the +sermon-borrower complained of to the lender of it: and was thus +answered: "I lent you, indeed, my fiddle, but not my fiddle-stick; for +you are to know, that every one cannot make musick with my words, which +are fitted for my own mouth". And so, my scholar, you are to know, that +as the ill pronunciation or ill accenting of words in a sermon spoils +it, so the ill carriage of your line, or not fishing even to a foot in a +right place, makes you lose your labour: and you are to know, that +though you have my fiddle, that is, my very rod and tacklings with which +you see I catch fish, yet you have not my fiddle-stick, that is, you yet +have not skill to know how to carry your hand and line, nor how to guide +it to a right place: and this must be taught you; for you are to +remember, I told you Angling is an art, either by practice or a long +observation, or both. But take this for a rule, When you fish for a +Trout with a worm, let your line have so much, and not more lead than +will fit the stream in which you fish; that is to say, more in a great +troublesome stream than in a smaller that is quieter; as near as may be, +so much as will sink the bait to the bottom, and keep it still in +motion, and not more. + +But now, let's say grace, and fall to breakfast. What say you, scholar, +to the providence of an old angler? Does not this meat taste well? and +was not this place well chosen to eat it? for this sycamore-tree will +shade us from the sun's heat. + +Venator. All excellent good; and my stomach excellent good, too. And now +I remember, and find that true which devout Lessius says, "that poor +men, and those that fast often, have much more pleasure in eating than +rich men, and gluttons, that always feed before their stomachs are empty +of their last meat and call for more; for by that means they rob +themselves of that pleasure that hunger brings to poor men". And I do +seriously approve of that saying of yours, "that you had rather be a +civil, well-governed, well-grounded, temperate, poor angler, than a +drunken lord ": but I hope there is none such. However, I am certain of +this, that I have been at many very costly dinners that have not +afforded me half the content that this has done; for which I thank God +and you. + +And now, good master, proceed to your promised direction for making and +ordering my artificial fly. + +Piscator. My honest scholar, I will do it; for it is a debt due unto you +by my promise. And because you shall not think yourself more engaged to +me than indeed you really are, I will freely give you such directions as +were lately given to me by an ingenious brother of the angle, an honest +man, and a most excellent fly-fisher. + +You are to note, that there are twelve kinds of artificial made Flies, +to angle with upon the top of the water. Note, by the way, that the +fittest season of using these is in a blustering windy day, when the +waters are so troubled that the natural fly cannot be seen, or rest upon +them. The first is the dun-fly, in March: the body is made of dun wool; +the wings, of the partridge's feathers. The second is another dun-fly: +the body, of black wool; and the wings made of the black drake's +feathers, and of the feathers under his tail. The third is the +stone-fly, in April: the body is made of black wool; made yellow under +the wings and under the tail, and so made with wings of the drake. The +fourth is the ruddy-fly, in the beginning of May: the body made of red +wool, wrapt about with black silk; and the feathers are the wings of the +drake; with the feathers of a red capon also, which hang dangling on his +sides next to the tail. The fifth is the yellow or greenish fly, in May +likewise: the body made of yellow wool; and the wings made of the red +cock's hackle or tail. The sixth is the black-fly, in May also: the body +made of black wool, and lapt about with the herle of a peacock's tail: +the wings are made of the wings of a brown capon, with his blue feathers +in his head. The seventh is the sad yellow-fly in June: the body is made +of black wool, with a yellow list on either side; and the wings taken +off the wings of a buzzard, bound with black braked hemp. The eighth is +the moorish-fly; made, with the body, of duskish wool; and the wings +made of the blackish mail of the drake. The ninth is the tawny-fly, good +until the middle of June: the body made of tawny wool; the wings made +contrary one against the other, made of the whitish mail of the wild +drake. The tenth is the wasp-fly in July; the body made of black wool, +lapt about with yellow silk; the wings made of the feathers of the +drake, or of the buzzard. The eleventh is the shell-fly, good in +mid-July: the body made of greenish wool, lapt about with the herle of a +peacock's tail: and the wings made of the wings of the buzzard. The +twelfth is the dark drake-fly, good in August: the body made with black +wool, lapt about with black silk; his wings are made with the mail of +the black drake, with a black head. Thus have you a jury of flies, +likely to betray and condemn all the Trouts in the river. + +I shall next give you some other directions for fly-fishing, such as are +given by Mr. Thomas Barker, a gentleman that hath spent much time in +fishing: but I shall do it with a little variation. + +First, let your rod be light, and very gentle: I take the best to be of +two pieces. And let not your line exceed, especially for three or four +links next to the hook, I say, not exceed three or four hairs at the +most; though you may fish a little stronger above, in the upper part of +your line: but if you can attain to angle with one hair, you shall have +more rises, and catch more fish. Now you must be sure not to cumber +yourself with too long a line, as most do. And before you begin to +angle, cast to have the wind on your back; and the sun, if it shines, to +be before you; and to fish down the stream; and carry the point or top +of your rod downward, by which means the shadow of yourself and rod too, +will be the least offensive to the fish, for the sight of any shade +amazes the fish, and spoils your sport, of which you must take great +care. + +In the middle of March, till which time a man should not in honesty +catch a Trout; or in April, it the weather be dark, or a little windy or +cloudy; the best fishing is with the palmer-worm, of which I last spoke +to you; but of these there be divers kinds, or at least of divers +colours: these and the May-fly are the ground of all fly-angling: which +are to be thus made: + +First, you must arm your hook with the line, in the inside of it: then +take your scissors, and cut so much of a brown mallard's feather as, in +your own reason, will make the wings of it, you having, withal, regard +to the bigness or littleness of your hook; then lay the outmost part of +your feather next to your hook; then the point of your feather next the +shank of your hook, and, having so done, whip it three or four times +about the hook with the same silk with which your hook was armed; and +having made the silk fast, take the hackle of a cock or capon's neck, or +a plover's top, which is usually better: take off the one side of the +feather, and then take the hackle, silk or crewel, gold or silver +thread; make these fast at the bent of the hook, that is to say, below +your arming; then you must take the hackle, the silver or gold thread, +and work it up to the wings, shifting or still removing your finger as +you turn the silk about the hook, and still looking, at every stop or +turn, that your gold, or what materials soever you make your fly of, do +lie right and neatly; and if you find they do so, then when you have +made the head, make all fast: and then work your hackle up to the head, +and make that fast: and then, with a needle, or pin, divide the wing +into two; and then, with the arming silk, whip it about cross-ways +betwixt the wings: and then with your thumb you must turn the point of +the feather towards the bent of the hook; and then work three or four +times about the shank of the hook; and then view the proportion; and if +all be neat, and to your liking, fasten. + +I confess, no direction can be given to make a man of a dull capacity +able to make a fly well: and yet I know this, with a little practice, +will help an ingenious angler in a good degree. But to see a fly made by +an artist in that kind, is the best teaching to make it. And, then, an +ingenious angler may walk by the river, and mark what flies fall on the +water that day; and catch one of them, if he sees the Trouts leap at a +fly of that kind: and then having always hooks ready-hung with him, and +having a bag always with him, with bear's hair, or the hair of a brown +or sad-coloured heifer, hackles of a cock or capon, several coloured +silk and crewel to make the body of the fly, the feathers of a drake's +head, black or brown sheep's wool, or hog's wool, or hair, thread of +gold and of silver; silk of several colours, especially sad-coloured, to +make the fly's head: and there be also other coloured feathers, both of +little birds and of speckled fowl: I say, having those with him in a +bag, and trying to make a fly, though he miss at first, yet shall he at +last hit it better, even to such a perfection as none can well teach him. +And if he hit to make his fly right, and have the luck to hit, also, +where there is store of Trouts, a dark day, and a right wind, he will +catch such store of them, as will encourage him to grow more and more in +love with the art of fly-making. + +Venator. But, my loving master, if any wind will not serve, then I wish +I were in Lapland, to buy a good wind of one of the honest witches, that +sell so many winds there, and so cheap. + +Piscator. Marry, scholar, but I would not be there, nor indeed from +under this tree; for look how it begins to rain, and by the clouds, if I +mistake not, we shall presently have a smoking shower, and therefore sit +close; this sycamore-tree will shelter us: and I will tell you, as they +shall come into my mind, more observations of fly-fishing for a Trout. + +But first for the wind: you are to take notice that of the winds the +south wind is said to be best. One observes, that + + ...when the wind is south, + It blows your bait into a fish's mouth. + +Next to that, the west wind is believed to be the best: and having told +you that the east wind is the worst, I need not tell you which wind is +the best in the third degree: and yet, as Solomon observes, that "he +that considers the wind shall never sow"; so he that busies his head too +much about them, if the weather be not made extreme cold by an east +wind, shall be a little superstitious: for as it is observed by some, +that "there is no good horse of a bad colour"; so I have observed, that +if it be a cloudy day, and not extreme cold, let the wind sit in what +corner it will and do its worst, I heed it not. And yet take this for a +rule, that I would willingly fish, standing on the lee-shore: and you +are to take notice, that the fish lies or swims nearer the bottom, and +in deeper water, in winter than in summer; and also nearer the bottom in +any cold day, and then gets nearest the lee-side of the water. + +But I promised to tell you more of the Fly-fishing for a Trout; which I +may have time enough to do, for you see it rains May-butter. First for a +Mayfly: you may make his body with greenish-coloured crewel, or +willowish colour; darkening it in most places with waxed silk; or ribbed +with black hair; or, some of them, ribbed with silver thread; and such +wings, for the colour, as you see the fly to have at that season, nay, +at that very day on the water. Or you may make the Oak-fly: with an +orange, tawny, and black ground; and the brown of a mallard's feather +for the wings. And you are to know, that these two are most excellent +flies, that is, the May-fly and the Oak-fly. + +And let me again tell you, that you keep as far from the water as you +can possibly, whether you fish with a fly or worm; and fish down the +stream. And when you fish with a fly, if it be possible, let no part of +your line touch the water, but your fly only; and be still moving your +fly upon the water, or casting it into the water, you yourself being +also always moving down the stream. + +Mr. Barker commends several sorts of the palmer-flies; not only those +ribbed with silver and gold, but others that have their bodies all made +of black; or some with red, and a red hackle. You may also make the +Hawthorn-fly: which is all black, and not big, but very small, the +smaller the better. Or the oak-fly, the body of which is orange colour +and black crewel, with a brown wing. Or a fly made with a peacock's +feather is excellent in a bright day: you must be sure you want not in +your magazine-bag the peacock's feather; and grounds of such wool and +crewel as will make the grasshopper. And note, that usually the smallest +flies are the best; and note also, that the light fly does usually make +most sport in a dark day, and the darkest and least fly in a bright or +clear day: and lastly note, that you are to repair upon any occasion to +your magazine-bag: and upon any occasion, vary and make them lighter or +sadder, according to your fancy, or the day. + +And now I shall tell you, that the fishing with a natural-fly is +excellent, and affords much pleasure. They may be found thus: the +May-fly, usually in and about that month, near to the river-side, +especially against rain: the Oak-fly, on the butt or body of an oak or +ash, from the beginning of May to the end of August; it is a brownish +fly and easy to be so found, and stands usually with his head downward, +that is to say, towards the root of the tree: the small black-fly, or +Hawthorn-fly, is to be had on any hawthorn bush after the leaves be come +forth. With these and a short line, as I shewed to angle for a Chub, you +may cape or cop, and also with a grasshopper, behind a tree, or in any +deep hole; still making it to move on the top of the water as if it were +alive, and still keeping yourself out of sight, you shall certainly have +sport if there be Trouts; yea, in a hot day, but especially in the +evening of a hot day, you will have sport. + +And now, scholar, my direction for fly-fishing is ended with this +shower, for it has done raining. And now look about you, and see how +pleasantly that meadow looks; nay, and the earth smells so sweetly too. +Come let me tell you what holy Mr. Herbert says of such days and flowers +as these, and then we will thank God that we enjoy them, and walk to the +river and sit down quietly, and try to catch the other place of Trouts. + + Sweet day, so cool, so calm, so bright, + The bridal of the earth and sky, + Sweet dews shall weep thy fall to-night, + For thou must die. + + Sweet rose, whose hue, angry and brave, + Bids the rash gazer wipe his eye, + Thy root is ever in its grave, + And thou must die. + + Sweet spring, full of sweet days and roses, + A box where sweets compacted lie; + My music shews you have your closes, + And all must die. + + Only a sweet and virtuous soul, + Like season'd timber, never gives, + But when the whole world turns to coal, + Then chiefly lives. + +Venator. I thank you, good master, for your good direction for +fly-fishing, and for the sweet enjoyment of the pleasant day, which is +so far spent without offence to God or man: and I thank you for the +sweet close of your discourse with Mr. Herbert's verses; who, I have +heard, loved angling; and I do the rather believe it, because he had a +spirit suitable to anglers, and to those primitive Christians that you +love, and have so much commended. + +Piscator. Well, my loving scholar, and I am pleased to know that you are +so well pleased with my direction and discourse. + +And since you like these verses of Mr. Herbert's so well, let me tell +you what a reverend and learned divine that professes to imitate him, +and has indeed done so most excellently, hath writ of our book of Common +Prayer; which I know you will like the better, because he is a friend of +mine, and I am sure no enemy to angling. + +What! Pray'r by th' book? and Common? Yes; Why not? + + The spirit of grace + And supplication + Is not left free alone + For time and place, + But manner too: to read, or speak, by rote, + Is all alike to him that prays, + In's heart, what with his mouth he says. + + They that in private, by themselves alone, + Do pray, may take + What liberty they please, + In chusing of the ways + Wherein to make + Their soul's most intimate affections known + To him that sees in secret, when + Th' are most conceal'd from other men. + + But he, that unto others leads the way + In public prayer, + Should do it so, + As all, that hear, may know + They need not fear + To tune their hearts unto his tongue, and say + Amen; not doubt they were betray'd + To blaspheme, when they meant to have pray'd. + + Devotion will add life unto the letter: + And why should not + That, which authority + Prescribes, esteemed be + Advantage got? + If th' prayer be good, the commoner the better, + Prayer in the Church's words, as well + As sense, of all prayers bears the bell. + +And now, scholar, I think it will be time to repair to our angle-rods, +which we left in the water to fish for themselves; and you shall choose +which shall be yours; and it is an even lay, one of them catches. + +And, let me tell you, this kind of fishing with a dead rod, and laying +night-hooks, are like putting money to use; for they both work for the +owners when they do nothing but sleep, or eat, or rejoice, as you know +we have done this last hour, and sat as quietly and as free from cares +under this sycamore, as Virgil's Tityrus and his Meliboeus did under +their broad beech-tree. No life, my honest scholar, no life so happy and +so pleasant as the life of a well-governed angler; for when the lawyer +is swallowed up with business, and the statesman is preventing or +contriving plots, then we sit on cowslip-banks, hear the birds sing, and +possess ourselves in as much quietness as these silent silver streams, +which we now see glide so quietly by us. Indeed, my good scholar, we may +say of angling, as Dr. Boteler said of strawberries, "Doubtless God +could have made a better berry, but doubtless God never did"; and so, +if I might be judge, God never did make a more calm, quiet, innocent +recreation than angling. + +I'll tell you, scholar; when I sat last on this primrose-bank, and +looked down these meadows, I thought of them as Charles the emperor did +of the city of Florence: "That they were too pleasant to be looked on, +but only on holy-days". As I then sat on this very grass, I turned my +present thoughts into verse: 'twas a Wish, which I'll repeat to you:-- + + The Angler's wish. + + I in these flowery meads would be: + These crystal streams should solace me; + To whose harmonious bubbling noise + I with my Angle would rejoice: + Sit here, and see the turtle-dove + Court his chaste mate to acts of love: + + Or, on that bank, feel the west wind + Breathe health and plenty: please my mind, + To see sweet dew-drops kiss these flowers, + And then washed off by April showers: + Here, hear my Kenna sing a song; + There, see a blackbird feed her young. + + Or a leverock build her nest: + Here, give my weary spirits rest, + And raise my low-pitch'd thoughts above + Earth, or what poor mortals love: + Thus, free from law-suits and the noise + Of princes' courts, I would rejoice: + + Or, with my Bryan, and a book, + Loiter long days near Shawford-brook; + There sit by him, and eat my meat, + There see the sun both rise and set: + There bid good morning to next day; + There meditate my time away, + And Angle on; and beg to have + A quiet passage to a welcome grave. + +When I had ended this composure, I left this place, and saw a brother of +the angle sit under that honeysuckle hedge, one that will prove worth +your acquaintance. I sat down by him, and presently we met with an +accidental piece of merriment, which I will relate to you, for it rains +still. + +On the other side of this very hedge sat a gang of gypsies; and near to +them sat a gang of beggars. The gypsies were then to divide all the +money that had been got that week, either by stealing linen or poultry, +or by fortune-telling or legerdemain, or, indeed, by any other sleights +and secrets belonging to their mysterious government. And the sum that +was got that week proved to be but twenty and some odd shillings. The +odd money was agreed to be distributed amongst the poor of their own +corporation: and for the remaining twenty shillings, that was to be +divided unto four gentlemen gypsies, according to their several degrees +in their commonwealth. And the first or chiefest gypsy was, by consent, +to have a third part of the twenty shillings, which all men know is 6s. +8d. The second was to have a fourth part of the 20s., which all men know +to be 5s. The third was to have a fifth part of the 20s., which all men +know to be 4s. The fourth and last gypsy was to have a sixth part of the +20s., which all men know to be 3s. 4d. + + As for example, + 3 times 6s. 8d. are 20s. + And so is 4 times 5s. are 20s. + And so is 5 times 4s. are 20s. + And so is 6 times 3s. 4d. are 20s. + +And yet he that divided the money was so very a gypsy, that though he +gave to every one these said sums, yet he kept one shilling of it for +himself + + As, for example, s. d. + 6 8 + 5 0 + 4 0 + 3 4 + ------ + make but . . . . . . 19 0 + +But now you shall know, that when the four gypsies saw that he had got +one shilling by dividing the money, though not one of them knew any +reason to demand more, yet, like lords and courtiers, every gypsy envied +him that was the gainer; and wrangled with him; and every one said the +remaining shilling belonged to him; and so they fell to so high a +contest about it, as none that knows the faithfulness of one gypsy to +another will easily believe; only we that have lived these last twenty +years are certain that money has been able to do much mischief. However, +the gypsies were too wise to go to law, and did therefore choose their +choice friends Rook and Shark, and our late English Gusman, to be their +arbitrators and umpires. And so they left this honeysuckle hedge; and +went to tell fortunes and cheat, and get more money and lodging in the +next village. + +When these were gone, we heard as high a contention amongst the beggars, +whether it was easiest to rip a cloak, or to unrip a cloak? One beggar +affirmed it was all one: but that was denied, by asking her, If doing +and undoing were all one? Then another said, 'twas easiest to unrip a +cloak; for that was to let it alone: but she was answered, by asking +her, how she unript it if she let it alone? and she confess herself +mistaken. These and twenty such like questions were proposed and +answered, with as much beggarly logick and earnestness as was ever heard +to proceed from the mouth of the pertinacious schismatick; and sometimes +all the beggars, whose number was neither more nor less than the poets' +nine muses, talked all together about this ripping and unripping; and so +loud, that not one heard what the other said: but, at last, one beggar +craved audience; and told them that old father Clause, whom Ben Jonson, +in his Beggar's Bush, created King of their corporation, was to lodge at +an ale-house, called "Catch-her-by-the-way," not far from Waltham +Cross, and in the high road towards London; and he therefore desired +them to spend no more time about that and such like questions, but refer +all to father Clause at night, for he was an upright judge, and in the +meantime draw cuts, what song should be next sung, and who should sing +it. They all agreed to the motion; and the lot fell to her that was the +youngest, and veriest virgin of the company. And she sung Frank +Davison's song, which he made forty years ago; and all the others of the +company joined to sing the burthen with her. The ditty was this; but +first the burthen: + + Bright shines the sun; play, Beggars, play; + Here's scraps enough to serve to-day. + + What noise of viols is so sweet, + As when our merry clappers ring? + What mirth doth want where Beggars meet? + A Beggar's life is for a King. + Eat, drink, and play, sleep when we list + Go where we will, so stocks be mist. + Bright shines the sun; play, Beggars, play, + Here's scraps enough to serve to-day. + + The world is ours, and ours alone; + For we alone have world at will + We purchase not, all is our own; + Both fields and streets we Beggars fill. + Nor care to get, nor fear to keep, + Did ever break a Beggar's sleep, + Play, Beggars, play; play, Beggars, play; + Here's scraps enough to serve to-day. + + A hundred head of black and white + Upon our gowns securely feed If any dare his master bite + He dies therefore, as sure as creed. + Thus Beggars lord it as they please; + And only Beggars live at ease. + Bright shines the sun; play, Beggars, play; + Here's scraps enough to serve to-day. + +Venator. I thank you, good master, for this piece of merriment, and this +song, which was well humoured by the maker, and well remembered by you. + +Piscator. But, I pray, forget not the catch which you promised to make +against night; for our countryman, honest Coridon, will expect your +catch, and my song, which I must be forced to patch up, for it is so +long since I learnt it, that I have forgot a part of it. But, come, now +it hath done raining, let's stretch our legs a little in a gentle walk +to the river, and try what interest our angles will pay us for lending +them so long to be used by the Trouts; lent them indeed, like usurers, +for our profit and their destruction. + +Venator. Oh me! look you, master, a fish! a fish! Oh, alas, master, I +have lost her. + +Piscator. Ay marry, Sir, that was a good fish indeed: if I had had the +luck to have taken up that rod, then 'tis twenty to one he should not +have broken my line by running to the rod's end, as you suffered him. I +would have held him within the bent of my rod, unless he had been fellow +to the great Trout that is near an ell long, which was of such a length +and depth, that he had his picture drawn, and now is to be seen at mine +host Rickabie's, at the George in Ware, and it may be, by giving that +very great Trout the rod, that is, by casting it to him into the water, +I might have caught him at the long run, for so I use always to do when +I meet with an over-grown fish; and you will learn to do so too, +hereafter, for I tell you, scholar, fishing is an art, or, at least, it +is an art to catch fish. + +Venator. But, master, I have heard that the great Trout you speak of is +a Salmon. + +Piscator. Trust me, scholar, I know not what to say to it. There are +many country people that believe hares change sexes every year: and +there be very many learned men think so too, for in their dissecting +them they find many reasons to incline them to that belief. And to make +the wonder seem yet less, that hares change sexes, note that Dr. Mer. +Casaubon affirms, in his book "Of credible and incredible things," that +Gasper Peucerus, a learned physician, tells us of a people that once a +year turn wolves, partly in shape, and partly in conditions. And so, +whether this were a Salmon when he came into fresh water, and his not +returning into the sea hath altered him to another colour or kind, I am +not able to say; but I am certain he hath all the signs of being a +Trout, both for his shape, colour, and spots; and yet many think he is +not. + +Venator. But, master, will this Trout which I had hold of die? for it is +like he hath the hook in his belly. + +Piscator. I will tell you, scholar, that unless the hook be fast in his +very gorge, 'tis more than probable he will live, and a little time, +with the help of the water, will rust the hook, and it will in time wear +away, as the gravel doth in the horse-hoof, which only leaves a false +quarter. + +And now, scholar, let's go to my rod. Look you, scholar, I have a fish +too, but it proves a logger-headed Chub: and this is not much amiss, for +this will pleasure some poor body, as we go to our lodging to meet our +brother Peter and honest Coridon. Come, now bait your hook again, and +lay it into the water, for it rains again; and we will even retire to +the Sycamore-tree, and there I will give you more directions concerning +fishing, for I would fain make you an artist. + +Venator. Yes, good master, I pray let it be so. + +Piscator. Well, scholar, now that we are sate down and are at ease, I +shall tell you a little more of Trout-fishing, before I speak of the +Salmon, which I purpose shall be next, and then of the Pike or Luce. + +You are to know, there is night as well as day fishing for a Trout; and +that, in the night, the best Trouts come out of their holes. And the +manner of taking them is on the top of the water with a great lob or +garden-worm, or rather two, which you are to fish with in a stream where +the waters run somewhat quietly, for in a stream the bait will not be so +well discerned. I say, in a quiet or dead place, near to some swift, +there draw your bait over the top of the water, to and fro, and if there +be a good Trout in the hole, he will take it, especially if the night be +dark, for then he is bold, and lies near the top of the water, watching +the motion of any frog or water-rat, or mouse, that swims betwixt him +and the sky; these he hunts after, if he sees the water but wrinkle or +move in one of these dead holes, where these great old Trouts usually +lie, near to their holds; for you are to note, that the great old Trout +is both subtle and fearful, and lies close all day, and does not usually +stir out of his hold, but lies in it as close in the day as the timorous +hare does in her form; for the chief feeding of either is seldom in the +day, but usually in the night, and then the great Trout feeds very +boldly. + +And you must fish for him with a strong line, and not a little hook; and +let him have time to gorge your hook, for he does not usually forsake +it, as he oft will in the day-fishing. And if the night be not dark, +then fish so with an artificial fly of a light colour, and at the snap: +nay, he will sometimes rise at a dead mouse, or a piece of cloth, or +anything that seems to swim across the water, or to be in motion. This +is a choice way, but I have not oft used it, because it is void of the +pleasures that such days as these, that we two now enjoy, afford an +angler. + +And you are to know, that in Hampshire, which I think exceeds all +England for swift, shallow, clear, pleasant brooks, and store of Trouts, +they used to catch Trouts in the night, by the light of a torch or +straw, which, when they have discovered, they strike with a Trout-spear, +or other ways. This kind of way they catch very many: but I would not +believe it till I was an eye-witness of it, nor do I like it now I have +seen it. + +Venator. But, master, do not Trouts see us in the night? + +Piscator Yes, and hear, and smell too, both then and in the day-time: +for Gesner observes, the Otter smells a fish forty furlongs off him in +the water: and that it may be true, seems to be affirmed by Sir Francis +Bacon, in the eighth century of his Natural History, who there proves +that waters may be the medium of sounds, by demonstrating it thus: "That +if you knock two stones together very deep under the water, those that +stand on a bank near to that place may hear the noise without any +diminution of it by the water ". He also offers the like experiment +concerning the letting an anchor fall, by a very long cable or rope, on +a rock, or the sand, within the sea. And this being so well observed and +demonstrated as it is by that learned man, has made me to believe that +Eels unbed themselves and stir at the noise of thunder, and not only, as +some think, by the motion or stirring of the earth which is occasioned +by that thunder. + +And this reason of Sir Francis Bacon has made me crave pardon of one +that I laughed at for affirming that he knew Carps come to a certain +place, in a pond, to be fed at the ringing of a bell or the beating of a +drum. And, however, it shall be a rule for me to make as little noise as +I can when I am fishing, until Sir Francis Bacon be confuted, which I +shall give any man leave to do. + +And lest you may think him singular in this opinion, I will tell you, +this seems to be believed by our learned Doctor Hakewill, who in his +Apology of God's power and providence, quotes Pliny to report that one +of the emperors had particular fish-ponds, and, in them, several fish +that appeared and came when they were called by their particular names. +And St. James tells us, that all things in the sea have been tamed by +mankind. And Pliny tells us, that Antonia, the wife of Drusus, had a +Lamprey at whose gills she hung jewels or ear-rings; and that others +have been so tender-hearted as to shed tears at the death of fishes +which they have kept and loved. And these observations, which will to +most hearers seem wonderful, seem to have a further confirmation from +Martial, who writes thus:-- + + Piscator, fuge; ne nocens, etc. + + Angler! would'st thou be guiltless ? then forbear; + For these are sacred fishes that swim here, + Who know their sovereign, and will lick his hand, + Than which none's greater in the world's command; + Nay more they've names, and, when they called are, + Do to their several owner's call repair. + +All the further use that I shall make of this shall be, to advise +anglers to be patient, and forbear swearing, lest they be heard, and +catch no fish. + +And so I shall proceed next to tell you, it is certain that certain +fields near Leominster, a town in Herefordshire, are observed to make +the sheep that graze upon them more fat than the next, and also to bear +finer wool; that is to say, that that year in which they feed in such a +particular pasture, they shall yield finer wool than they did that year +before they came to feed in it; and coarser, again, if they shall return +to their former pasture; and, again, return to a finer wool, being fed +in the fine wool ground: which I tell you, that you may the better +believe that I am certain, if I catch a Trout in one meadow, he shall be +white and faint, and very like to be lousy; and, as certainly, it I +catch a Trout in the next meadow, he shall be strong, and red, and +lusty, and much better meat. Trust me, scholar, I have caught many a +Trout in a particular meadow, that the very shape and the enamelled +colour of him hath been such as hath joyed me to look on him: and I have +then, with much pleasure, concluded with Solomon, "Everything is +beautiful in his season". + +I should, by promise, speak next of the Salmon; but I will, by your +favour, say a little of the Umber or Grayling; which is so like a Trout +for his shape and feeding, that I desire I may exercise your patience +with a short discourse of him; and then, the next shall be of the +Salmon. + + + + +The fourth day-continued + +The Umber or Grayling + +Chapter VI + +Piscator + +The Umber and Grayling are thought by some to differ as the Herring and +Pilchard do. But though they may do so in other nations, I think those +in England differ nothing but in their names. Aldrovandus says, they be +of a Trout kind; and Gesner says, that in his country, which is +Switzerland, he is accounted the choicest of all fish. And in Italy, he +is, in the month of May, so highly valued, that he is sold there at a +much higher rate than any other fish. The French, which call the Chub Un +Villain, call the Umber of the lake Leman Un Umble Chevalier; and they +value the Umber or Grayling so highly, that they say he feeds on gold; +and say, that many have been caught out of their famous river of Loire, +out of whose bellies grains of gold have been often taken. And some +think that he feeds on water thyme, and smells of it at his first taking +out of the water; and they may think so with as good reason as we do +that our Smelts smell like violets at their being first caught, which I +think is a truth. Aldrovandus says, the Salmon, the Grayling, and Trout, +and all fish that live in clear and sharp streams, are made by their +mother Nature of such exact shape and pleasant colours purposely to +invite us to a joy and contentedness in feasting with her. Whether this +is a truth or not, is not my purpose to dispute: but 'tis certain, all +that write of the Umber declare him to be very medicinable. And Gesner +says, that the fat of an Umber or Grayling, being set, with a little +honey, a day or two in the sun, in a little glass, is very excellent +against redness or swarthiness, or anything that breeds in the eyes. +Salvian takes him to be called Umber from his swift swimming, or gliding +out of sight more like a shadow or a ghost than a fish. Much more might +be said both of his smell and taste: but I shall only tell you that St. +Ambrose, the glorious bishop of Milan, who lived when the church kept +fasting-days, calls him the flower-fish, or flower of fishes; and that +he was so far in love with him, that he would not let him pass without +the honour of a long discourse; but I must; and pass on to tell you how +to take this dainty fish. + +First note, that he grows not to the bigness of a Trout; for the biggest +of them do not usually exceed eighteen inches. He lives in such rivers +as the Trout does; and is usually taken with the same baits as the Trout +is, and after the same manner; for he will bite both at the minnow, or +worm, or fly, though he bites not often at the minnow, and is very +gamesome at the fly; and much simpler, and therefore bolder than a +Trout; for he will rise twenty times at a fly, if you miss him, and yet +rise again. He has been taken with a fly made of the red feathers of a +paroquet, a strange outlandish bird; and he will rise at a fly not +unlike a gnat, or a small moth, or, indeed, at most flies that are not +too big. He is a fish that lurks close all Winter, but is very pleasant +and jolly after mid-April, and in May, and in the hot months. He is of a +very fine shape, his flesh is white, his teeth, those little ones that +he has, are in his throat, yet he has so tender a mouth, that he is +oftener lost after an angler has hooked him than any other fish. Though +there be many of these fishes in the delicate river Dove, and in Trent, +and some other smaller rivers, as that which runs by Salisbury, yet he +is not so general a fish as the Trout, nor to me so good to eat or to +angle for. And so I shall take my leave of him: and now come to some +observations of the Salmon, and how to catch him. + + + + +The fourth day-continued + +The Salmon + +Chapter VII + +Piscator + +The Salmon is accounted the King of freshwater fish; and is ever bred in +rivers relating to the sea, yet so high, or far from it, as admits of no +tincture of salt, or brackishness. He is said to breed or cast his +spawn, in most rivers, in the month of August: some say, that then they +dig a hole or grave in a safe place in the gravel, and there place their +eggs or spawn, after the melter has done his natural office, and then +hide it most cunningly, and cover it over with gravel and stones; and +then leave it to their Creator's protection, who, by a gentle heat which +he infuses into that cold element, makes it brood, and beget life in the +spawn, and to become Samlets early in the spring next following. + +The Salmons having spent their appointed time, and done this natural +duty in the fresh waters, they then haste to the sea before winter, both +the melter and spawner; but if they be stopped by flood-gates or weirs, or +lost in the fresh waters, then those so left behind by degrees grow sick +and lean, and unseasonable, and kipper, that is to say, have bony +gristles grow out of their lower chaps, not unlike a hawk's beak, which +hinders their feeding; and, in time, such fish so left behind pine away +and die. 'Tis observed, that he may live thus one year from the sea; but +he then grows insipid and tasteless, and loses both his blood and +strength, and pines and dies the second year. And 'tis noted, that those +little Salmons called Skeggers, which abound in many rivers relating to +the sea, are bred by such sick Salmons that might not go to the sea, and +that though they abound, yet they never thrive to any considerable +bigness. + +But if the old Salmon gets to the sea, then that gristle which shews him +to be kipper, wears away, or is cast off, as the eagle is said to cast +his bill, and he recovers his strength, and comes next summer to the +same river, if it be possible, to enjoy the former pleasures that there +possess him; for, as one has wittily observed, he has, like some persons +of honour and riches which have both their winter and summer houses, the +fresh rivers for summer, and the salt water for winter, to spend his +life in; which is not, as Sir Francis Bacon hath observed in his History +of Life and Death, above ten years. And it is to be observed, that +though the Salmon does grow big in the sea, yet he grows not fat but in +fresh rivers; and it is observed, that the farther they get from the +sea, they be both the fatter and better. + +Next, I shall tell you, that though they make very hard shift to get out +of the fresh rivers into the sea yet they will make harder shift to get +out of the salt into the fresh rivers, to spawn, or possess the +pleasures that they have formerly found in them: to which end, they will +force themselves through floodgates, or over weirs, or hedges, or stops +in the water, even to a height beyond common belief. Gesner speaks of +such places as are known to be above eight feet high above water. And +our Camden mentions, in his Britannia, the like wonder to be in +Pembrokeshire, where the river Tivy falls into the sea; and that the +fall is so downright, and so high, that the people stand and wonder at +the strength and sleight by which they see the Salmon use to get out of +the sea into the said river; and the manner and height of the place is +so notable, that it is known, far, by the name of the Salmon-leap. +Concerning which, take this also out of Michael Drayton, my honest old +friend; as he tells it you, in his Polyolbion: + + And when the Salmon seeks a fresher stream to find; + (Which hither from the sea comes, yearly, by his kind,) + As he towards season grows; and stems the watry tract + Where Tivy, falling down, makes an high cataract, + Forc'd by the rising rocks that there her course oppose, + As tho' within her bounds they meant her to inclose; + Here when the labouring fish does at the foot arrive, + And finds that by his strength he does but vainly strive; + His tail takes in his mouth, and, bending like a bow + That's to full compass drawn, aloft himself doth throw, + Then springing at his height, as doth a little wand + That bended end to end, and started from man's hand, + Far off itself doth cast, so does that Salmon vault; + And if, at first, he fail, his second summersault + He instantly essays, and, from his nimble ring + Still yerking, never leaves until himself he fling + Above the opposing stream----. + +This Michael Drayton tells you, of this leap or summersault of the +Salmon. + +And, next, I shall tell you, that it is observed by Gesner and others, +that there is no better Salmon than in England; and that though some of +our northern counties have as fat, and as large, as the river Thames, +yet none are of so excellent a taste. + +And as I have told you that Sir Francis Bacon observes, the age of a +Salmon exceeds not ten years; so let me next tell you, that his growth +is very sudden: it is said that after he is got into the sea, he +becomes, from a Samlet not so big as a Gudgeon, to be a Salmon, in as +short a time as a gosling becomes to be a goose. Much of this has been +observed, by tying a riband, or some known tape or thread, in the tail +of some young Salmons which have been taken in weirs as they have +swimmed towards the salt water; and then by taking a part of them again, +with the known mark, at the same place, at their return from the sea, +which is usually about six months after; and the like experiment hath +been tried upon young swallows, who have, after six months' absence, +been observed to return to the same chimney, there to make their nests +and habitations for the summer following; which has inclined many to +think, that every Salmon usually returns to the same river in which it +was bred, as young pigeons taken out of the same dovecote have also been +observed to do. + +And you are yet to observe further, that the He-salmon is usually bigger +than the Spawner; and that he is more kipper, and less able to endure a +winter in the fresh water than the She is: yet she is, at that time of +looking less kipper and better, as watry, and as bad meat. + +And yet you are to observe, that as there is no general rule without an +exception, so there are some few rivers in this nation that have Trouts +and Salmon in season in winter, as 'tis certain there be in the river +Wye in Monmouthshire, where they be in season, as Camden observes, from +September till April. But, my scholar, the observation of this and many +other things I must in manners omit, because they will prove too large +for our narrow compass of time, and, therefore, I shall next fall upon +my directions how to fish for this Salmon. + +And, for that: First you shall observe, that usually he stays not long +in a place, as Trouts will, but, as I said, covets still to go nearer +the spring-head: and that he does not, as the Trout and many other fish, +lie near the water-side or bank, or roots of trees, but swims in the +deep and broad parts of the water, and usually in the middle, and near +the ground, and that there you are to fish for him, and that he is to be +caught, as the Trout is, with a worm, a minnow which some call a peek, +or with a fly. + +And you are to observe, that he is very seldom observed to bite at a +minnow, yet sometimes he will, and not usually at a fly, but more +usually at a worm, and then most usually at a lob or garden-worm, which +should be well scoured, that is to say, kept seven or eight days in moss +before you fish with them: and if you double your time of eight into +sixteen, twenty, or more days, it is still the better; for the worms +will still be clearer, tougher, and more lively, and continue so longer +upon your hook. And they may be kept longer by keeping them cool, and in +fresh moss; and some advise to put camphire into it. + +Note also, that many used to fish for a Salmon with a ring of wire on +the top of their rod, through which the line may run to as great a +length as is needful, when he is hooked. And to that end, some use a +wheel about the middle of their rod, or near their hand, which is to be +observed better by seeing one of them than by a large demonstration of +words. + +And now I shall tell you that which may be called a secret. I have been +a-fishing with old Oliver Henly, now with God, a noted fisher both for +Trout and Salmon; and have observed, that he would usually take three or +four worms out of his bag, and put them into a little box in his pocket, +where he would usually let them continue half an hour or more, before he +would bait his hook with them. I have asked him his reason, and he has +replied, "He did but pick the best out to be in readiness against he +baited his hook the next time": but he has been observed, both by +others and myself, to catch more fish than I, or any other body that has +ever gone a-fishing with him, could do, and especially Salmons. And I +have been told lately, by one of his most intimate and secret friends, +that the box in which he put those worms was anointed with a drop, or +two or three, of the oil of ivy-berries, made by expression or infusion; +and told, that by the worms remaining in that box an hour, or a like +time, they had incorporated a kind of smell that was irresistibly +attractive, enough to force any fish within the smell of them to bite. +This I heard not long since from a friend, but have not tried it; yet I +grant it probable, and refer my reader to Sir Francis Bacon's Natural +history, where he proves fishes may hear, and, doubtless, can more +probably smell: and I am certain Gesner says, the Otter can smell in the +water; and I know not but that fish may do so too. 'Tis left for a lover +of angling, or any that desires to improve that art, to try this +conclusion. + +I shall also impart two other experiments, but not tried by myself, +which I will deliver in the same words that they were given me by an +excellent angler and a very friend, in writing: he told me the latter +was too good to be told, but in a learned language, lest it should be +made common. + +"Take the stinking oil drawn out of polypody of the oak by a retort, +mixed with turpentine and hive-honey, and anoint your bait therewith, +and it will doubtless draw the fish to it." + +The other is this: "Vulnera hederae grandissimae inflicta sudant +balsamum oleo gelato, albicantique persimile, odoris vero longe +suavissimi". + +"'Tis supremely sweet to any fish, and yet assa foetida may do the +like." + +But in these I have no great faith; yet grant it probable; and have had +from some chymical men, namely, from Sir George Hastings and others, an +affirmation of them to be very advantageous. But no more of these; +especially not in this place. + +I might here, before I take my leave of the Salmon, tell you, that there +is more than one sort of them, as namely, a Tecon, and another called in +some places a Samlet, or by some a Skegger; but these, and others which +I forbear to name, may be fish of another kind, and differ as we know a +Herring and a Pilchard do, which, I think, are as different as the +rivers in which they breed, and must, by me, be left to the +disquisitions of men of more leisure, and of greater abilities than I +profess myself to have. + +And lastly, I am to borrow so much of your promised patience, as to tell +you, that the trout, or Salmon, being in season, have, at their first +taking out of the water, which continues during life, their bodies +adorned, the one with such red spots, and the other with such black or +blackish spots, as give them such an addition of natural beauty as, I +think, was never given to any woman by the artificial paint or patches +in which they so much pride themselves in this age. And so I shall leave +them both; and proceed to some observations of the Pike. + + + + + +The fourth day-continued + +On the Luce or Pike + +Chapter VIII + +Piscator and Venator + +Piscator. The mighty Luce or Pike is taken to be the tyrant, as the +Salmon is the king, of the fresh water. 'Tis not to be doubted, but that +they are bred, some by generation, and some not; as namely, of a weed +called pickerel-weed, unless learned Gesner be much mistaken, for he +says, this weed and other glutinous matter, with the help of the sun's +heat, in some particular months, and some ponds, apted for it by nature, +do become Pikes. But, doubtless, divers Pikes are bred after this +manner, or are brought into some ponds some such other ways as is past +man's finding out, of which we have daily testimonies. + +Sir Francis Bacon, in his History of Life and Death, observes the Pike +to be the longest lived of any fresh-water fish; and yet he computes it +to be not usually above forty years; and others think it to be not above +ten years: and yet Gesner mentions a Pike taken in Swedeland, in the +year 1449, with a ring about his neck, declaring he was put into that +pond by Frederick the Second, more than two hundred years before he was +last taken, as by the inscription in that ring, being Greek, was +interpreted by the then Bishop of Worms. But of this no more; but that +it is observed, that the old or very great Pikes have in them more of +state than goodness; the smaller or middle-sized Pikes being, by the +most and choicest palates, observed to be the best meat: and, contrary, +the Eel is observed to be the better for age and bigness. + +All Pikes that live long prove chargeable to their keepers, because +their life is maintained by the death of so many other fish, even those +of their own kind, which has made him by some writers to be called the +tyrant of the rivers, or the fresh-water wolf, by reason of his bold, +greedy, devouring, disposition; which is so keen, as Gesner relates, A +man going to a pond, where it seems a Pike had devoured all the fish, to +water his mule, had a Pike bit his mule by the lips; to which the Pike +hung so fast, that the mule drew him out of the water; and by that +accident, the owner of the mule angled out the Pike. And the same Gesner +observes, that a maid in Poland had a Pike bit her by the foot, as she +was washing clothes in a pond. And I have heard the like of a woman in +Killingworth pond, not far from Coventry. But I have been assured by my +friend Mr. Segrave, of whom I spake to you formerly, that keeps tame +Otters, that he hath known a Pike, in extreme hunger, fight with one of +his Otters for a Carp that the Otter had caught, and was then bringing +out of the water. I have told you who relate these things; and tell you +they are persons of credit; and shall conclude this observation, by +telling you, what a wise man has observed, "It is a hard thing to +persuade the belly, because it has no ears". + +But if these relations be disbelieved, it is too evident to be doubted, +that a Pike will devour a fish of his own kind that shall be bigger than +his belly or throat will receive, and swallow a part of him, and let the +other part remain in his mouth till the swallowed part be digested, and +then swallow that other part that was in his mouth, and so put it over +by degrees; which is not unlike the Ox, and some other beasts taking +their meat, not out of their mouth immediately into their belly, but +first into some place betwixt, and then chew it, or digest it by degrees +after, which is called chewing the cud. And, doubtless, Pikes will bite +when they are not hungry; but, as some think, even for very anger, when +a tempting bait comes near to them. + +And it is observed, that the Pike will eat venomous things, as some kind +of frogs are, and yet live without being harmed by them; for, as some +say, he has in him a natural balsam, or antidote against all poison. And +he has a strange heat, that though it appear to us to be cold, can yet +digest or put over any fish-flesh, by degrees, without being sick. And +others observe, that he never eats the venomous frog till he have first +killed her, and then as ducks are observed to do to frogs in +spawning-time, at which time some frogs are observed to be venomous, so +thoroughly washed her, by tumbling her up and down in the water, that he +may devour her without danger. And Gesner affirms, that a Polonian +gentleman did faithfully assure him, he had seen two young geese at one +time in the belly of a Pike. And doubtless a Pike in his height of +hunger will bite at and devour a dog that swims in a pond; and there +have been examples of it, or the like; for as I told you, "The belly +has no ears when hunger comes upon it". + +The Pike is also observed to be a solitary, melancholy, and a bold fish; +melancholy, because he always swims or rests himself alone, and never +swims in shoals or with company, as Roach and Dace, and most other fish +do: and bold, because he fears not a shadow, or to see or be seen of +anybody, as the Trout and Chub, and all other fish do. + +And it is observed by Gesner, that the jaw-bones, and hearts, and galls +of Pikes, are very medicinable for several diseases, or to stop blood, +to abate fevers, to cure agues, to oppose or expel the infection of the +plague, and to be many ways medicinable and useful for the good of +mankind: but he observes, that the biting of a Pike is venomous, and +hard to be cured. + +And it is observed, that the Pike is a fish that breeds but once a year; +and that other fish, as namely Loaches, do breed oftener: as we are +certain tame Pigeons do almost every month; and yet the Hawk, a bird of +prey, as the Pike is a fish, breeds but once in twelve months. And you +are to note, that his time of breeding, or spawning, is usually about +the end of February, or, somewhat later, in March, as the weather proves +colder or warmer: and to note, that his manner of breeding is thus: a he +and a she Pike will usually go together out of a river into some ditch +or creek; and that there the spawner casts her eggs, and the melter +hovers over her all that time that she is casting her spawn, but touches +her not. + +I might say more of this, but it might be thought curiosity or worse, +and shall therefore forbear it; and take up so much of your attention as +to tell you that the best of Pikes are noted to be in rivers; next, +those in great ponds or meres; and the worst, in small ponds. + +But before I proceed further, I am to tell you, that there is a great +antipathy betwixt the Pike and some frogs: and this may appear to the +reader of Dubravius, a bishop in Bohemia, who, in his book Of Fish and +Fish-ponds, relates what he says he saw with his own eyes, and could not +forbear to tell the reader. Which was: + +"As he and the bishop Thurzo were walking by a large pond in Bohemia, +they saw a frog, when the Pike lay very sleepily and quiet by the shore +side, leap upon his head; and the frog having expressed malice or anger +by his sworn cheeks and staring eyes, did stretch out his legs and +embrace the Pike's head, and presently reached them to his eyes, tearing +with them, and his teeth, those tender parts: the Pike, moved with +anguish, moves up and down the water, and rubs himself against weeds, +and whatever he thought might quit him of his enemy; but all in vain, +for the frog did continue to ride triumphantly, and to bite and torment +the Pike till his strength failed; and then the frog sunk with the Pike +to the bottom of the water: then presently the frog appeared again at +the top, and croaked, and seemed to rejoice like a conqueror, after +which he presently retired to his secret hole. The bishop, that had +beheld the battle, called his fisherman to fetch his nets, and by all +means to get the Pike that they might declare what had happened: and the +Pike was drawn forth, and both his eyes eaten out; at which when they +began to wonder, the fisherman wished them to forbear, and assured them +he was certain that Pikes were often so served." + +I told this, which is to be read in the sixth chapter of the book of +Dubravius, unto a friend, who replied, "It was as improbable as to have +the mouse scratch out the cat's eyes". But he did not consider, that +there be Fishing frogs, which the Dalmatians call the Water-devil, of +which I might tell you as wonderful a story: but I shall tell you that +'tis not to be doubted but that there be some frogs so fearful of the +water-snake, that when they swim in a place in which they fear to meet +with him they then get a reed across into their mouths; which if they +two meet by accident, secures the frog from the strength and malice of +the snake; and note, that the frog usually swims the fastest of the two. + +And let me tell you, that as there be water and land frogs, so there be +land and water snakes. Concerning which take this observation, that the +land-snake breeds and hatches her eggs, which become young snakes, in +some old dunghill, or a like hot place: but the water-snake, which is +not venomous, and as I have been assured by a great observer of such +secrets, does not hatch, but breed her young alive, which she does not +then forsake, but bides with them, and in case of danger will take them +all into her mouth and swim away from any apprehended danger, and then +let them out again when she thinks all danger to be past: these be +accidents that we Anglers sometimes see, and often talk of. + +But whither am I going? I had almost lost myself, by remembering the +discourse of Dubravius. I will therefore stop here; and tell you, +according to my promise, how to catch this Pike. + +His feeding is usually of fish or frogs; and sometimes a weed of his +own, called pickerel-weed, of which I told you some think Pikes are +bred; for they have observed, that where none have been put into ponds, +yet they have there found many; and that there has been plenty of that +weed in those ponds, and that that weed both breeds and feeds them: but +whether those Pikes, so bred, will ever breed by generation as the +others do, I shall leave to the disquisitions of men of more curiosity +and leisure than I profess myself to have: and shall proceed to tell +you, that you may fish for a Pike, either with a ledger or a +walking-bait; and you are to note, that I call that a Ledger-bait, which +is fixed or made to rest in one certain place when you shall be absent +from it; and I call that a Walking-bait, which you take with you, and +have ever in motion. Concerning which two, I shall give you this +direction; that your ledger-bait is best to be a living bait (though a +dead one may catch), whether it be a fish or a frog: and that you may +make them live the longer, you may, or indeed you must, take this +course: + +First, for your LIVE-BAIT. Of fish, a roach or dace is, I think, best +and most tempting; and a perch is the longest lived on a hook, and +having cut off his fin on his back, which may be done without hurting +him, you must take your knife, which cannot be too sharp, and betwixt +the head and the fin on the back, cut or make an incision, or such a +scar, as you may put the arming-wire of your hook into it, with as +little bruising or hurting the fish as art and diligence will enable you +to do; and so carrying your arming-wire along his back, unto or near the +tail of your fish, betwixt the skin and the body of it, draw out that +wire or arming of your hook at another scar near to his tail then tie +him about it with thread, but no harder than of necessity, to prevent +hurting the fish; and the better to avoid hurting the fish, some have a +kind of probe to open the way for the more easy entrance and passage of +your wire or arming: but as for these, time and a little experience will +teach you better than I can by words. Therefore I will for the present +say no more of this; but come next to give you some directions how to +bait your hook with a frog. + +Venator. But, good master, did you not say even now, that some frogs +were venomous; and is it not dangerous to touch them? + +Piscator. Yes, but I will give you some rules or cautions concerning +them. And first you are to note, that there are two kinds of frogs, that +is to say, if I may so express myself, a flesh and fish frog. By +flesh-frogs, I mean frogs that breed and live on the land; and of these +there be several sorts also, and of several colours, some being +speckled, some greenish, some blackish, or brown: the green frog, which +is a small one, is, by Topsel, taken to be venomous; and so is the +paddock, or frog-paddock, which usually keeps or breeds on the land, and +is very large and bony, and big, especially the she-frog of that kind: +yet these will sometimes come into the water, but it is not often: and +the land-frogs are some of them observed by him, to breed by laying +eggs; and others to breed of the slime and dust of the earth, and that +in winter they turn to slime again, and that the next summer that very +slime returns to be a living creature, this is the opinion of Pliny. And +Cardanus undertakes to give a reason for the raining of frogs: but if it +were in my power, it should rain none but water-frogs; for those I think +are not venomous, especially the right water-frog, which, about February +or March, breeds in ditches, by slime, and blackish eggs in that slime: +about which time of breeding, the he and she frogs are observed to use +divers summersaults, and to croak and make a noise, which the land-frog, +or paddock-frog, never does. + +Now of these water-frogs, if you intend to fish with a frog for a Pike, +you are to choose the yellowest that you can get, for that the Pike ever +likes best. And thus use your frog, that he may continue long alive: + +Put your hook into his mouth, which you may easily do from the middle of +April till August; and then the frog's mouth grows up, and he continues +so for at least six months without eating, but is sustained, none but He +whose name is Wonderful knows how: I say, put your hook, I mean the +arming-wire, through his mouth, and out at his gills; and then with a +fine needle and silk sew the upper part of his leg, with only one +stitch, to the arming-wire of your hook; or tie the frog's leg, above +the upper joint, to the armed-wire; and, in so doing, use him as though +you loved him, that is, harm him as little as you may possibly, that he +may live the longer. + +And now, having given you this direction for the baiting your +ledger-hook with a live fish or frog, my next must be to tell you, how +your hook thus baited must or may be used; and it is thus: having +fastened your hook to a line, which if it be not fourteen yards long +should not be less than twelve, you are to fasten that line to any bough +near to a hole where a Pike is, or is likely to lie, or to have a haunt; +and then wind your line on any forked stick, all your line, except half +a yard of it or rather more; and split that forked stick, with such a +nick or notch at one end of it as may keep the line from any more of it +ravelling from about the stick than so much of it as you intend. And +choose your forked stick to be of that bigness as may keep the fish or +frog from pulling the forked stick under the water till the Pike bites; +and then the Pike having pulled the line forth of the cleft or nick of +that stick in which it was gently fastened, he will have line enough to +go to his hold and pouch the bait. And if you would have this ledger-bait +to keep at a fixt place undisturbed by wind or other accidents which may +drive it to the shore-side, for you are to note, that it is likeliest to +catch a Pike in the midst of the water, then hang a small plummet of +lead, a stone, or piece of tile, or a turf, in a string, and cast it +into the water with the forked stick to hang upon the ground, to be a +kind of anchor to keep the forked stick from moving out of your intended +place till the Pike come: this I take to be a very good way to use so +many ledger-baits as you intend to make trial of. + +Or if you bait your hooks thus with live fish or frogs, and in a windy +day, fasten them thus to a bough or bundle of straw, and by the help of +that wind can get them to move across a pond or mere, you are like to +stand still on the shore and see sport presently, if there be any store +of Pikes. Or these live baits may make sport, being tied about the body +or wings of a goose or duck, and she chased over a pond. And the like +may be done with turning three or four live baits, thus fastened to +bladders, or boughs, or bottles of hay or flags, to swim down a river, +whilst you walk quietly alone on the shore, and are still in expectaion +of sport. The rest must be taught you by practice; for time will not +allow me to say more of this kind of fishing with live baits. + +And for your DEAD-BAIT for a Pike: for that you may be taught by one +day's going a-fishing with me, or any other body that fishes for him; +for the baiting your hook with a dead gudgeon or a roach, and moving it +up and down the water, is too easy a thing to take up any time to direct +you to do it. And yet, because I cut you short in that, I will commute +for it by telling you that that was told me for a secret: it is this: +Dissolve gum of ivy in oil of spike, and therewith anoint your dead bait +for a Pike; and then cast it into a likely place; and when it has lain a +short time at the bottom, draw it towards the top of the water, and so +up the stream; and it is more than likely that you have a Pike follow +with more than common eagerness. And some affirm, that any bait anointed +with the marrow of the thigh-bone of a heron is a great temptation to +any fish. + +These have not been tried by me, but told me by a friend of note, that +pretended to do me a courtesy. But if this direction to catch a Pike +thus do you no good, yet I am certain this direction how to roast him +when he is caught is choicely good; for I have tried it, and it is +somewhat the better for not being common. But with my direction you must +take this caution, that your Pike must not be a small one, that is, it +must be more than half a yard, and should be bigger. + +"First, open your Pike at the gills, and if need be, cut also a little +slit towards the belly. Out of these, take his guts; and keep his liver, +which you are to shred very small, with thyme, sweet marjoram, and a +little winter-savoury; to these put some pickled oysters, and some +anchovies, two or three; both these last whole, for the anchovies will +melt, and the oysters should not; to these, you must add also a pound of +sweet butter, which you are to mix with the herbs that are shred, and +let them all be well salted. If the Pike be more than a yard long, then +you may put into these herbs more than a pound, or if he be less, then +less butter will suffice: These, being thus mixt, with a blade or two of +mace, must be put into the Pike's belly; and then his belly so sewed up +as to keep all the butter in his belly if it be possible; if not, then +as much of it as you possibly can. But take not off the scales. Then you +are to thrust the spit through his mouth, out at his tail. And then take +four or five or six split sticks, or very thin laths, and a convenient +quantity of tape or filleting; these laths are to be tied round about +the Pike's body, from his head to his tail, and the tape tied somewhat +thick, to prevent his breaking or falling off from the spit. Let him be +roasted very leisurely; and often basted with claret wine, and +anchovies, and butter, mixt together; and also with what moisture falls +from him into the pan. When you have roasted him sufficiently, you are +to hold under him, when you unwind or cut the tape that ties him, such a +dish as you purpose to eat him out of; and let him fall into it with the +sauce that is roasted in his belly; and by this means the Pike will be +kept unbroken and complete. Then, to the sauce which was within, and +also that sauce in the pan, you are to add a fit quantity of the best +butter, and to squeeze the juice of three or four oranges. Lastly, you +may either put it into the Pike, with the oysters, two cloves of +garlick, and take it whole out, when the Pike is cut off the spit; or, +to give the sauce a haut goût, let the dish into which you let the Pike +fall be rubbed with it: The using or not using of this garlick is left +to your discretion. M. B." + +This dish of meat is too good for any but anglers, or very honest men; +and I trust you will prove both, and therefore I have trusted you with +this secret. + +Let me next tell you, that Gesner tells us, there are no Pikes in Spain, +and that the largest are in the lake Thrasymene in Italy; and the next, +if not equal to them, are the Pikes of England; and that in England, +Lincolnshire boasteth to have the biggest. Just so doth Sussex boast of +four sorts of fish, namely, an Arundel Mullet, a Chichester Lobster, a +Shelsey Cockle, and an Amerly Trout. + +But I will take up no more of your time with this relation, but proceed +to give you some Observations of the Carp, and how to angle for him; and +to dress him but not till he is caught. + + + + +The fourth day-continued + +On the Carp + +Chapter IX + +Piscator + +The Carp is the queen of rivers; a stately, a good, and a very subtil +fish; that was not at first bred, nor hath been long in England, but is +now naturalised. It is said, they were brought hither by one Mr. Mascal, +a gentleman that then lived at Plumsted in Sussex, a county that abounds +more with this fish than any in this nation. + +You may remember that I told you Gesner says there are no Pikes in +Spain; and doubtless there was a time, about a hundred or a few more +years ago, when there were no Carps in England, as may seem to be +affirmed by Sir Richard Baker, in whose Chronicle you may find these +verses: + + Hops and turkies, carps and beer, + Came into England all in a year. + +And doubtless, as of sea-fish the Herring dies soonest out of the water, +and of fresh-water fish the Trout, so, except the Eel, the Carp endures +most hardness, and lives longest out of its own proper element; and, +therefore, the report of the Carp's being brought out of a foreign +country into this nation is the more probable. + +Carps and Loaches are observed to breed several months in one year, +which Pikes and most other fish do not; and this is partly proved by +tame and wild rabbits; as also by some ducks, which will lay eggs nine +of the twelve months; and yet there be other ducks that lay not longer +than about one month. And it is the rather to be believed, because you +shall scarce or never take a male Carp without a melt, or a female +without a roe or spawn, and for the most part very much, and especially +all the summer season; and it is observed, that they breed more +naturally in ponds than in running waters, if they breed there at all; +and that those that live in rivers are taken by men of the best palates +to be much the better meat. + +And it is observed that in some ponds Carps will not breed, especially +in cold ponds; but where they will breed, they breed innumerably: +Aristotle and Pliny say six times in a year, if there be no Pikes nor +Perch to devour their spawn, when it is cast upon grass or flags, or +weeds, where it lies ten or twelve days before it be enlivened. + +The Carp, if he have water-room and good feed, will grow to a very great +bigness and length; I have heard, to be much above a yard long. It is +said by Jovius, who hath writ of fishes, that in the lake Lurian in +Italy, Carps have thriven to be more than fifty pounds weight: which is +the more probable, for as the bear is conceived and born suddenly, and +being born is but short lived; so, on the contrary, the elephant is said +to be two years in his dam's belly, some think he is ten years in it, +and being born, grows in bigness twenty years; and it is observed too, +that he lives to the age of a hundred years. And 'tis also observed, +that the crocodile is very long-lived; and more than that, that all that +long life he thrives in bigness; and so I think some Carps do, +especially in some places, though I never saw one above twenty-three +inches, which was a great and goodly fish; but have been assured there +are of a far greater size, and in England too. + +Now, as the increase of Carps is wonderful for their number, so there is +not a reason found out, I think, by any, why they should breed in some +ponds, and not in others, of the same nature for soil and all other +circumstances. And as their breeding, so are their decays also very +mysterious: I have both read it, and been told by a gentleman of tried +honesty, that he has known sixty or more large Carps put into several +ponds near to a house, where by reason of the stakes in the ponds, and +the owner's constant being near to them, it was impossible they should +be stole away from him; and that when he has, after three or four years, +emptied the pond, and expected an increase from them by breeding young +ones, for that they might do so he had, as the rule is, put in three +melters for one spawner, he has, I say, after three or four years, found +neither a young nor old Carp remaining. And the like I have known of one +that had almost watched the pond, and, at a like distance of time, at +the fishing of a pond, found, of seventy or eighty large Carps, not +above five or six: and that he had forborne longer to fish the said +pond, but that he saw, in a hot day in summer, a large Carp swim near +the top of the water with a frog upon his head; and that he, upon that +occasion, caused his pond to be let dry: and I say, of seventy or eighty +Carps, only found five or six in the said pond, and those very sick and +lean, and with every one a frog sticking so fast on the head of the said +Carps, that the frog would not be got off without extreme force or +killing. And the gentleman that did affirm this to me, told me he saw +it; and did declare his belief to be, and I also believe the same, that +he thought the other Carps, that were so strangely lost, were so killed +by the frogs, and then devoured. + +And a person of honour, now living in Worcestershire, assured me he had +seen a necklace, or collar of tadpoles, hang like a chain or necklace of +beads about a Pike's neck, and to kill him: Whether it were for meat or +malice, must be, to me, a question. + +But I am fallen into this discourse by accident; of which I might say +more, but it has proved longer than I intended, and possibly may not to +you be considerable: I shall therefore give you three or four more short +observations of the Carp, and then fall upon some directions how you +shall fish for him. + +The age of Carps is by Sir Francis Bacon, in his History of Life and +Death, observed to be but ten years; yet others think they live longer. +Gesner says, a Carp has been known to live in the Palatine above a +hundred years. But most conclude, that, contrary to the Pike or Luce, all +Carps are the better for age and bigness. The tongues of Carps are noted +to be choice and costly meat, especially to them that buy them: but +Gesner says, Carps have no tongue like other fish, but a piece of +fleshlike fish in their mouth like to a tongue, and should be called a +palate: but it is certain it is choicely good, and that the Carp is to +be reckoned amongst those leather-mouthed fish which, I told you, have +their teeth in their throat; and for that reason he is very seldom lost +by breaking his hold, if your hook be once stuck into his chaps. + +I told you that Sir Francis Bacon thinks that the Carp lives but ten +years: but Janus Dubravius has written a book Of fish and fish-ponds in +which he says, that Carps begin to spawn at the age of three years, and +continue to do so till thirty: he says also, that in the time of their +breeding, which is in summer, when the sun hath warmed both the earth +and water, and so apted them also for generation, that then three or +four male Carps will follow a female; and that then, she putting on a +seeming coyness, they force her through weeds and flags, where she lets +fall her eggs or spawn, which sticks fast to the weeds; and then they +let fall their melt upon it, and so it becomes in a short time to be a +living fish: and, as I told you, it is thought that the Carp does this +several months in the year; and most believe, that most fish breed after +this manner, except the Eel. And it has been observed, that when the +spawner has weakened herself by doing that natural office, that two or +three melters have helped her from off the weeds, by bearing her up on +both sides, and guarding her into the deep. And you may note, that +though this may seem a curiosity not worth observing, yet others have +judged it worth their time and costs to make glass hives, and order them +in such a manner as to see how bees have bred and made their honeycombs, +and how they have obeyed their king, and governed their commonwealth. +But it is thought that all Carps are not bred by generation; but that +some breed other ways, as some Pikes do. + +The physicians make the galls and stones in the heads of Carps to be +very medicinable. But it is not to be doubted but that in Italy they +make great profit of the spawn of Carps, by selling it to the Jews, who +make it into red caviare; the Jews not being by their law admitted to +eat of caviare made of the Sturgeon, that being a fish that wants +scales, and, as may appear in Leviticus xi., by them reputed to be +unclean. + +Much more might be said out of him, and out of Aristotle, which +Dubravius often quotes in his Discourse of Fishes: but it might rather +perplex than satisfy you; and therefore I shall rather choose to direct +you how to catch, than spend more time in discoursing either of the +nature or the breeding of this Carp, or of any more circumstances +concerning him. But yet I shall remember you of what I told you before, +that he is a very subtil fish, and hard to be caught. + +And my first direction is, that if you will fish for a Carp, you must +put on a very large measure of patience, especially to fish for a river +Carp: I have known a very good fisher angle diligently four or six hours +in a day, for three or four days together, for a river Carp, and not +have a bite. And you are to note, that, in some ponds, it is as hard to +catch a Carp as in a river; that is to say, where they have store of +feed, and the water is of a clayish colour. But you are to remember that +I have told you there is no rule without an exception; and therefore +being possess with that hope and patience which I wish to all fishers, +especially to the Carp-angler, I shall tell you with what bait to fish +for him. But first you are to know, that it must be either early, or +late; and let me tell you, that in hot weather, for he will seldom bite +in cold, you cannot be too early, or too late at it. And some have been +so curious as to say, the tenth of April is a fatal day for Carps. + +The Carp bites either at worms, or at paste: and of worms I think the +bluish marsh or meadow worm is best; but possibly another worm, not too +big, may do as well, and so may a green gentle: and as for pastes, there +are almost as many sorts as there are medicines for the toothache; but +doubtless sweet pastes are best; I mean, pastes made with honey or with +sugar: which, that you may the better beguile this crafty fish, should +be thrown into the pond or place in which you fish for him, some hours, +or longer, before you undertake your trial of skill with the angle-rod; +and doubtless, if it be thrown into the water a day or two before, at +several times, and in small pellets, you are the likelier, when you fish +for the Carp, to obtain your desired sport. Or, in a large pond, to draw +them to any certain place, that they may the better and with more hope +be fished for, you are to throw into it, in some certain place, either +grains, or blood mixt with cow-dung or with bran; or any garbage, as +chicken's guts or the like; and then, some of your small sweet pellets +with which you propose to angle: and these small pellets being a few of +them also thrown in as you are angling, will be the better. + +And your paste must be thus made: take the flesh of a rabbit, or cat, +cut small; and bean-flour; and if that may not be easily got, get other +flour; and then, mix these together, and put to them either sugar, or +honey, which I think better: and then beat these together in a mortar, +or sometimes work them in your hands, your hands being very clean; and +then make it into a ball, or two, or three, as you like best, for your +use: but you must work or pound it so long in the mortar, as to make it +so tough as to hang upon your hook without washing from it, yet not too +hard: or, that you may the better keep it on your hook, you may knead +with your paste a little, and not too much, white or yellowish wool. + +And if you would have this paste keep all the year, for any other fish, +then mix with it virgin-wax and clarified honey, and work them together +with your hands, before the fire; then make these into balls, and they +will keep all the year. + +And if you fish for a Carp with gentles, then put upon your hook a small +piece of scarlet about this bigness, it being soaked in or anointed with +oil of petre, called by some, oil of the rock: and if your gentles be +put, two or three days before, into a box or horn anointed with honey, +and so put upon your hook as to preserve them to be living, you are as +like to kill this crafty fish this way as any other: but still, as you +are fishing, chew a little white or brown bread in your mouth, and cast +it into the pond about the place where your float swims. Other baits +there be; but these, with diligence and patient watchfulness, will do +better than any that I have ever practiced or heard of. And yet I shall +tell you, that the crumbs of white bread and honey made into a paste is +a good bait for a Carp; and you know, it is more easily made. And having +said thus much of the Carp, my next discourse shall be of the Bream, +which shall not prove so tedious; and therefore I desire the continuance +of your attention. + +But, first, I will tell you how to make this Carp, that is so curious to +be caught, so curious a dish of meat as shall make him worth all your +labour and patience. And though it is not without some trouble and +charges, yet it will recompense both. + +Take a Carp, alive if possible; scour him, and rub him clean with water +and salt, but scale him not: then open him; and put him, with his blood +and his liver, which you must save when you open him, into a small pot +or kettle: then take sweet marjoram, thyme, and parsley, of each half a +handful; a sprig of rosemary, and another of savoury; bind them into two +or three small bundles, and put them in your Carp, with four or five +whole onions, twenty pickled oysters, and three anchovies. Then pour +upon your Carp as much claret wine as will only cover him; and season +your claret well with salt, cloves, and mace, and the rinds of oranges +and lemons. That done, cover your pot and set it on a quick fire till it +be sufficiently boiled. Then take out the Carp; and lay it, with the +broth, into the dish; and pour upon it a quarter of a pound of the best +fresh butter, melted, and beaten with half a dozen spoonfuls of the +broth, the yolks of two or three eggs, and some of the herbs shred: +garnish your dish with lemons, and so serve it up. And much good do you! +Dr. T. + + + + + +The fourth day-continued + +On the Bream + +Chapter X + +Piscator + +The Bream, being at a full growth, is a large and stately fish. He will +breed both in rivers and ponds: but loves best to live in ponds, and +where, if he likes the water and air, he will grow not only to be very +large, but as fat as a hog. He is by Gesner taken to be more pleasant, +or sweet, than wholesome. This fish is long in growing; but breeds +exceedingly in a water that pleases him; yea, in many ponds so fast, as +to overstore them, and starve the other fish. + +He is very broad, with a forked tail, and his scales set in excellent +order; he hath large eyes, and a narrow sucking mouth; he hath two sets +of teeth, and a lozenge-like bone, a bone to help his grinding. The +melter is observed to have two large melts; and the female, two large +bags of eggs or spawn. + +Gesner reports, that in Poland a certain and a great number of large +breams were put into a pond, which in the next following winter were +frozen up into one entire ice, and not one drop of water remaining, nor +one of these fish to be found, though they were diligently searched for; +and yet the next spring, when the ice was thawed, and the weather warm, +and fresh water got into the pond, he affirms they all appeared again. +This Gesner affirms; and I quote my author, because it seems almost as +incredible as the resurrection to an atheist: but it may win something, +in point of believing it, to him that considers the breeding or +renovation of the silk-worm, and of many insects. And that is +considerable, which Sir Francis Bacon observes in his History of Life +and Death, fol. 20, that there be some herbs that die and spring every +year, and some endure longer. + +But though some do not, yet the French esteem this fish highly; and to +that end have this proverb "He that hath Breams in his pond, is able to +bid his friend welcome"; and it is noted, that the best part of a Bream +is his belly and head. + +Some say, that Breams and Roaches will mix their eggs and melt together; +and so there is in many places a bastard breed of Breams, that never +come to be either large or good, but very numerous. + +The baits good to catch this Bream are many. First, paste made of brown +bread and honey; gentles; or the brood of wasps that be young, and then +not unlike gentles, and should be hardened in an oven, or dried on a +tile before the fire to make them tough. Or, there is, at the root of +docks or flags or rushes, in watery places, a worm not unlike a maggot, +at which Tench will bite freely. Or he will bite at a grasshopper with +his legs nipt off, in June and July; or at several flies, under water, +which may be found on flags that grow near to the water-side. I doubt +not but that there be many other baits that are good; but I will turn +them all into this most excellent one, either for a Carp or Bream, in +any river or mere: it was given to me by a most honest and excellent +angler; and hoping you will prove both, I will impart it to you. + +1. Let your bait be as big a red worm as you can find, without a knot: +get a pint or quart of them in an evening, in garden-walks, or chalky +commons, after a shower of rain; and put them with clean moss well +washed and picked, and the water squeezed out of the moss as dry as you +can, into an earthen pot or pipkin set dry; and change the moss fresh +every three or four days, for three weeks or a month together; then your +bait will be at the best, for it will be clear and lively. + +2. Having thus prepared your baits, get your tackling ready and fitted +for this sport. Take three long angling-rods; and as many and more silk, +or silk and hair, lines; and as many large swan or goose-quill floats. +Then take a piece of lead, and fasten them to the low ends of your +lines: then fasten your link-hook also to the lead; and let there be +about a foot or ten inches between the lead and the hook: but be sure +the lead be heavy enough to sink the float or quill, a little under the +water; and not the quill to bear up the lead, for the lead must lie on +the ground. Note, that your link next the hook may be smaller than the +rest of your line, if you dare adventure, for fear of taking the Pike or +Perch, who will assuredly visit your hooks, till they be taken out, as I +will show you afterwards, before either Carp or Bream will come near to +bite. Note also, that when the worm is well baited, it will crawl up and +down as far as the lead will give leave, which much enticeth the fish to +bite without suspicion. + +3. Having thus prepared your baits, and fitted your tackling, repair to +the river, where you have seen them swim in skulls or shoals, in the +summer-time, in a hot afternoon, about three or four of the clock; and +watch their going forth of their deep holes, and returning, which you +may well discern, for they return about four of the clock, most of them +seeking food at the bottom, yet one or two will lie on the top of the +water, rolling and tumbling themselves, whilst the rest are under him at +the bottom; and so you shall perceive him to keep sentinel: then mark +where he plays most and stays longest, which commonly is in the broadest +and deepest place of the river; and there, or near thereabouts, at a +clear bottom and a convenient landing-place, take one of your angles +ready fitted as aforesaid, and sound the bottom, which should be about +eight or ten feet deep; two yards from the bank is best. Then consider +with yourself, whether that water will rise or fall by the next morning, +by reason of any water-mills near; and, according to your discretion, +take the depth of the place, where you mean after to cast your +ground-bait, and to fish, to half an inch; that the lead lying on or +near the ground-bait, the top of the float may only appear upright half +an inch above the water. + +Thus you having found and fitted for the place and depth thereof, then +go home and prepare your ground-bait, which is, next to the fruit of +your labours, to be regarded. + + +The GROUND-BAIT. + +You shall take a peck, or a peck and a half, according to the greatness +of the stream and deepness of the water, where you mean to angle, of +sweet gross-ground barley-malt; and boil it in a kettle, one or two +warms is enough: then strain it through a bag into a tub, the liquor +whereof hath often done my horse much good; and when the bag and malt is +near cold, take it down to the water-side, about eight or nine of the +clock in the evening, and not before: cast in two parts of your +ground-bait, squeezed hard between both your hands; it will sink +presently to the bottom; and be sure it may rest in the very place where +you mean to angle: if the stream run hard, or move a little, cast your +malt in handfuls a little the higher, upwards the stream. You may, +between your hands, close the malt so fast in handfuls, that the water +will hardly part it with the fall. + +Your ground thus baited, and tackling fitted, leave your bag, with the +rest of your tackling and ground-bait, near the sporting-place all +night; and in the morning, about three or four of the clock, visit the +water-side, but not too near, for they have a cunning watchman, and are +watchful themselves too. + +Then, gently take one of your three rods, and bait your hook; casting it +over your ground-bait, and gently and secretly draw it to you till the +lead rests about the middle of the ground-bait. + +Then take a second rod, and cast in about a yard above, and your third a +yard below the first rod; and stay the rods in the ground: but go +yourself so far from the water-side, that you perceive nothing but the +top of the floats, which you must watch most diligently. Then when you +have a bite, you shall perceive the top of your float to sink suddenly +into the water: yet, nevertheless, be not too hasty to run to your rods, +until you see that the line goes clear away; then creep to the +water-side, and give as much line as possibly you can: if it be a good +Carp or Bream, they will go to the farther side of the river: then +strike gently, and hold your rod at a bent, a little while; but if you +both pull together, you are sure to lose your game, for either your +line, or hook, or hold, will break: and after you have overcome them, +they will make noble sport, and are very shy to be landed. The Carp is +far stronger and more mettlesome than the Bream. + +Much more is to be observed in this kind of fish and fishing, but it is +far fitter for experience and discourse than paper. Only, thus much is +necessary for you to know, and to be mindful and careful of, that if the +Pike or Perch do breed in that river, they will be sure to bite first, +and must first be taken. And for the most part they are very large; and +will repair to your ground-bait, not that they will eat of it, but will +feed and sport themselves among the young fry that gather about and +hover over the bait. + +The way to discern the Pike and to take him, it you mistrust your Bream +hook, for I have taken a Pike a yard long several times at my Bream +hooks, and sometimes he hath had the luck to share my line, may be thus: + +Take a small Bleak, or Roach, or Gudgeon, and bait it; and set it, +alive, among your rods, two feet deep from the cork, with a little red +worm on the point of the hook: then take a few crumbs of white bread, or +some of the ground-bait, and sprinkle it gently amongst your rods. If +Mr. Pike be there, then the little fish will skip out of the water at +his appearance, but the live-set bait is sure to be taken. + +Thus continue your sport from four in the morning till eight, and if it +be a gloomy windy day, they will bite all day long: but this is too long +to stand to your rods, at one place; and it will spoil your evening +sport that day, which is this. + +About four of the clock in the afternoon repair to your baited place; +and as soon as you come to the water-side, cast in one-half of the rest +of your ground-bait, and stand off; then whilst the fish are gathering +together, for there they will most certainly come for their supper, you +may take a pipe of tobacco: and then, in with your three rods, as in the +morning. You will find excellent sport that evening, till eight of the +clock: then cast in the residue of your ground-bait, and next morning, +by four of the clock, visit them again for four hours, which is the best +sport of all; and after that, let them rest till you and your friends +have a mind to more sport. + +From St. James's-tide until Bartholomew-tide is the best; when they have +had all the summer's food, they are the fattest. + +Observe, lastly, that after three or four days' fishing together, your +game will be very shy and wary, and you shall hardly get above a bite or +two at a baiting: then your only way is to desist from your sport, about +two or three days: and in the meantime, on the place you late baited, +and again intend to bait, you shall take a turf of green but short +grass, as big or bigger than a round trencher; to the top of this turf, +on the green side, you shall, with a needle and green thread, fasten one +by one, as many little red worms as will near cover all the turf: then +take a round board or trencher, make a hole in the middle thereof, and +through the turf placed on the board or trencher, with a string or cord +as long as is fitting, tied to a pole, let it down to the bottom of the +water, for the fish to feed upon without disturbance about two or three +days; and after that you have drawn it away, you may fall to, and enjoy +your former recreation. + +B. A. + + + + + +The fourth day-continued + +On the Tench + +Chapter XI + +Piscator + +The Tench, the physician of fishes, is observed to love ponds better +than rivers, and to love pits better than either: yet Camden observes, +there is a river in Dorsetshire that abounds with Tenches, but doubtless +they retire to the most deep and quiet places in it. + +This fish hath very large fins, very small and smooth scales, a red +circle about his eyes, which are big and of a gold colour, and from +either angle of his mouth there hangs down a little barb. In every +Tench's head there are two little stones which foreign physicians make +great use of, but he is not commended for wholesome meat, though there +be very much use made of them for outward applications. Rondeletius +says, that at his being at Rome, he saw a great cure done by applying a +Tench to the feet of a very sick man. This, he says, was done after an +unusual manner, by certain Jews. And it is observed that many of those +people have many secrets yet unknown to Christians; secrets that have +never yet been written, but have been since the days of their Solomon, +who knew the nature of all things, even from the cedar to the shrub, +delivered by tradition, from the father to the son, and so from +generation to generation, without writing; or, unless it were casually, +without the least communicating them to any other nation or tribe; for +to do that they account a profanation. And, yet, it is thought that +they, or some spirit worse than they, first told us, that lice, +swallowed alive, were a certain cure for the yellow-jaundice. This, and +many other medicines, were discovered by them, or by revelation; for, +doubtless, we attained them not by study. + +Well, this fish, besides his eating, is very useful, both dead and +alive, for the good of mankind. But I will meddle no more with that, my +honest, humble art teaches no such boldness: there are too many foolish +meddlers in physick and divinity that think themselves fit to meddle +with hidden secrets, and so bring destruction to their followers. But +I'll not meddle with them, any farther than to wish them wiser; and +shall tell you next, for I hope I may be so bold, that the Tench is the +physician of fishes, for the Pike especially, and that the Pike, being +either sick or hurt, is cured by the touch of the Tench. And it is +observed that the tyrant Pike will not be a wolf to his physician, but +forbears to devour him though he be never so hungry. + +This fish, that carries a natural balsam in him to cure both himself and +others, loves yet to feed in very foul water, and amongst weeds. And +yet, I am sure, he eats pleasantly, and, doubtless, you will think so +too, if you taste him. And I shall therefore proceed to give you some +few, and but a few, directions how to catch this Tench, of which I have +given you these observations. + +He will bite at a paste made of brown bread and honey, or at a +marsh-worm, or a lob-worm; he inclines very much to any paste with which +tar is mixt, and he will bite also at a smaller worm with his head +nipped off, and a cod-worm put on the hook before that worm. And I doubt +not but that he will also, in the three hot months, for in the nine +colder he stirs not much, bite at a flag-worm or at a green gentle; but +can positively say no more of the Tench, he being a fish I have not +often angled for; but I wish my honest scholar may, and be ever +fortunate when he fishes. + + + + + +The fourth day-continued + +On the Perch + +Chapter XII + +Piscator and Venator + +Piscator. The Perch is a very good and very bold biting fish. He is one +of the fishes of prey that, like the Pike and Trout, carries his teeth +in his mouth, which is very large: and he dare venture to kill and +devour several other kinds of fish. He has a hooked or hog back, which +is armed with sharp and stiff bristles, and all his skin armed, or +covered over with thick dry hard scales, and hath, which few other fish +have, two fins on his back. He is so bold that he will invade one of his +own kind, which the Pike will not do so willingly; and you may, +therefore, easily believe him to be a bold biter. + +The Perch is of great esteem in Italy, saith Aldrovandus: and especially +the least are there esteemed a dainty dish. And Gesner prefers the Perch +and Pike above the Trout, or any fresh-water fish: he says the Germans +have this proverb, "More wholesome than a Perch of Rhine": and he says +the River-Perch is so wholesome, that physicians allow him to be eaten +by wounded men, or by men in fevers, or by women in child-bed. + +He spawns but once a year; and is, by physicians, held very nutritive; +yet, by many, to be hard of digestion. They abound more in the river Po, +and in England, says Rondeletius, than other parts: and have in their +brain a stone, which is, in foreign parts, sold by apothecaries, being +there noted to be very medicinable against the stone in the reins. These +be a part of the commendations which some philosophical brains have +bestowed upon the freshwater Perch: yet they commend the Sea-Perch which +is known by having but one fin on his back, of which they say we English +see but a few, to be a much better fish. + +The Perch grows slowly, yet will grow, as I have been credibly informed, +to be almost two feet long; for an honest informer told me, such a one +was not long since taken by Sir Abraham Williams, a gentleman of worth, +and a brother of the angle, that yet lives, and I wish he may: this was +a deep-bodied fish, and doubtless durst have devoured a Pike of half his +own length. For I have told you, he is a bold fish; such a one as but +for extreme hunger the Pike will not devour. For to affright the Pike, +and save himself, the Perch will set up his fins, much like as a +turkey-cock will sometimes set up his tail. + +But, my scholar, the Perch is not only valiant to defend himself, but he +is, as I said, a bold-biting fish: yet he will not bite at all seasons +of the year; he is very abstemious in winter, yet will bite then in the +midst of the day, if it be warm: and note, that all fish bite best about +the midst of warm day in winter. And he hath been observed, by some, not +usually to bite till the mulberry-tree buds; that is to say, till +extreme frosts be past the spring; for, when the mulberry-tree blossoms, +many gardeners observe their forward fruit to be past the danger of +frosts; and some have made the like observation of the Perch's biting. + +But bite the Perch will, and that very boldly. And, as one has wittily +observed, if there be twenty or forty in a hole, they may be, at one +standing, all catched one after another; they being, as he says, like +the wicked of the world, not afraid, though their fellows and companions +perish in their sight. And you may observe, that they are not like the +solitary Pike, but love to accompany one another, and march together in +troops. + +And the baits for this bold fish are not many: I mean, he will bite as +well at some, or at any of these three, as at any or all others +whatsoever: a worm, a minnow, or a little frog, of which you may find +many in hay-time. And of worms; the dunghill worm called a brandling I +take to be best, being well scoured in moss or fennel; or he will bite +at a worm that lies under cow-dung, with a bluish head. And if you rove +for a Perch with a minnow, then it is best to be alive; you sticking +your hook through his back fin; or a minnow with the hook in his upper +lip, and letting him swim up and down, about mid-water, or a little +lower, and you still keeping him to about that depth by a cork, which +ought not to be a very little one: and the like way you are to fish for +the Perch with a small frog, your hook being fastened through the skin +of his leg, towards the upper part of it: and, lastly, I will give you +but this advice, that you give the Perch time enough when he bites; for +there was scarce ever any angler that has given him too much. And now I +think best to rest myself; for I have almost spent my spirits with +talking so long. + +Venator. Nay, good master, one fish more, for you see it rains still: +and you know our angles are like money put to usury; they may thrive, +though we sit still, and do nothing but talk and enjoy one another. +Come, come, the other fish, good master. + +Piscator. But, scholar, have you nothing to mix with this discourse, +which now grows both tedious and tiresome? Shall I have nothing from +you, that seem to have both a good memory and a cheerful spirit? + +Venator. Yes, master, I will speak you a copy of verses that were made +by Doctor Donne, and made to shew the world that he could make soft and +smooth verses, when he thought smoothness worth his labour: and I love +them the better, because they allude to Rivers, and Fish and Fishing. +They be these: + + Come, live with me, and be my love, + And we will some new pleasures prove, + Of golden sands, and crystal brooks, + With silken lines, and silver hooks. + + There will the river whisp'ring run, + Warm'd by thy eyes more than the sun + And there the enamel'd fish will stay + Begging themselves they may betray. + + When thou wilt swim in that live bath, + Each fish, which every channel hash, + Most amorously to thee will swim, + Gladder to catch thee, than thou him. + + If thou, to be so seen, beest loath + By sun or moon, thou dark'nest both; + And if mine eyes have leave to see, + I need not their light, having thee, + + Let others freeze with angling reeds, + And cut their legs with shells and weeds, + Or treacherously poor fish beset + With strangling snares or windowy net; + + Let coarse bold hands, from slimy nest, + The bedded fish in banks outwrest; + Let curious traitors sleeve silk flies, + To 'witch poor wand'ring fishes' eyes. + + For thee, thou need'st no such deceit, + For thou thyself art shine own bait; + That fish that is not catcht thereby, + Is wiser afar, alas, than I. + +Piscator. Well remembered, honest scholar. I thank you for these choice +verses; which I have heard formerly, but had quite forgot, till they +were recovered by your happy memory. Well, being I have now rested +myself a little, I will make you some requital, by telling you some +observations of the Eel; for it rains still: and because, as you say, +our angles are as money put to use, that thrives when we play, therefore +we'll sit still, and enjoy ourselves a little longer under this +honeysuckle hedge. + + + + + +The fourth day-continued + +Of the Eel, and other Fish that want Scales + +Chapter XIII + +Piscator + +It is agreed by most men, that the Eel is a most dainty fish: the Romans +have esteemed her the Helena of their feasts; and some the queen of +palate-pleasure. But most men differ about their breeding: some say they +breed by generation, as other fish do; and others, that they breed, as +some worms do, of mud; as rats and mice, and many other living +creatures, are bred in Egypt, by the sun's heat when it shines upon the +overflowing of the river Nilus; or out of the putrefaction of the earth, +and divers other ways. Those that deny them to breed by generation, as +other fish do, ask, If any man ever saw an Eel to have a spawn or melt? +And they are answered, That they may be as certain of their breeding as +if they had seen spawn; for they say, that they are certain that Eels +have all parts fit for generation, like other fish, but so small as not +to be easily discerned, by reason of their fatness; but that discerned +they may be; and that the He and the She Eel may be distinguished by +their fins. And Rondeletius says, he has seen Eels cling together like +dew-worms. + +And others say, that Eels, growing old, breed other Eels out of the +corruption of their own age; which, Sir Francis Bacon says, exceeds not +ten years. And others say, that as pearls are made of glutinous +dewdrops, which are condensed by the sun's heat in those countries, so +Eels are bred of a particular dew, falling in the months of May or June +on the banks of some particular ponds or rivers, apted by nature for +that end; which in a few days are, by the sun's heat, turned into Eels: +and some of the Ancients have called the Eels that are thus bred, the +offspring of Jove. I have seen, in the beginning of July, in a river not +far from Canterbury, some parts of it covered over with young Eels, +about the thickness of a straw; and these Eels did lie on the top of +that water, as thick as motes are said to be in the sun: and I have +heard the like of other rivers, as namely, in Severn, where they are +called Yelvers; and in a pond, or mere near unto Staffordshire, where, +about a set time in summer, such small Eels abound so much, that many of +the poorer sort of people that inhabit near to it, take such Eels out of +this mere with sieves or sheets; and make a kind of Eel-cake of them, +and eat it like as bread. And Gesner quotes Venerable Bede, to say, that +in England there is an island called Ely, by reason of the innumerable +number of Eels that breed in it. But that Eels may be bred as some +worms, and some kind of bees and wasps are, either of dew, or out of the +corruption of the earth, seems to be made probable by the barnacles and +young goslings bred by the sun's heat and the rotten planks of an old +ship, and hatched of trees; both which are related for truths by Du +Bartas and Lobel, and also by our learned Camden, and laborious Gerhard +in his Herbal. + +It is said by Rondeletius, that those Eels that are bred in rivers that +relate to or be nearer to the sea, never return to the fresh waters, as +the Salmon does always desire to do, when they have once tasted the salt +water; and I do the more easily believe this, because I am certain that +powdered beef is a most excellent bait to catch an Eel. And though Sir +Francis Bacon will allow the Eel's life to be but ten years, yet he, in +his History of Life and Death, mentions a Lamprey, belonging to the +Roman emperor, to be made tame, and so kept for almost threescore years; +and that such useful and pleasant observations were made of this +Lamprey, that Crassus the orator, who kept her, lamented her death; and +we read in Doctor Hakewill, that Hortensius was seen to weep at the +death of a Lamprey that he had kept long, and loved exceedingly. + +It is granted by all, or most men, that Eels, for about six months, that +is to say, the six cold months of the year, stir not up or down, neither +in the rivers, nor in the pools in which they usually are, but get into +the soft earth or mud; and there many of them together bed themselves, +and live without feeding upon anything, as I have told you some swallows +have been observed to do in hollow trees, for those six cold months. And +this the Eel and Swallow do, as not being able to endure winter weather: +for Gesner quotes Albertus to say, that in the year 1125, that year's +winter being more cold than usually, Eels did, by nature's instinct, get +out of the water into a stack of hay in a meadow upon dry ground; and +there bedded themselves: but yet, at last, a frost killed them. And our +Camden relates, that, in Lancashire, fishes were digged out of the earth +with spades, where no water was near to the place. I shall say little +more of the Eel, but that, as it is observed he is impatient of cold, so +it hath been observed, that, in warm weather, an Eel has been known to +live five days out of the water. + +And lastly, let me tell you, that some curious searchers into the +natures of fish observe, that there be several sorts or kinds of Eels; +as the silver Eel, the green or greenish Eel, with which the river of +Thames abounds, and those are called Grigs; and a blackish Eel, whose +head is more flat and bigger than ordinary Eels; and also an Eel whose +fins are reddish, and but seldom taken in this nation, and yet taken +sometimes. These several kind of Eels are, say some, diversely bred; as, +namely, out of the corruption of the earth; and some by dew, and other +ways, as I have said to you: and yet it is affirmed by some for a +certain, that the silver Eel is bred by generation, but not by spawning +as other fish do; but that her brood come alive from her, being then +little live Eels no bigger nor longer than a pin; and I have had too +many testimonies of this, to doubt the truth of it myself; and if I +thought it needful I might prove it, but I think it is needless. + +And this Eel, of which I have said so much to you, may be caught with +divers kinds of baits: as namely, with powdered beef; with a lob or +garden worm; with a minnow; or gut of a hen, chicken, or the guts of any +fish, or with almost anything, for he is a greedy fish. But the Eel may +be caught, especially, with a little, a very little Lamprey, which some +call a Pride, and may, in the hot months, be found many of them in the +river Thames, and in many mud-heaps in other rivers; yea, almost as +usually as one finds worms in a dunghill. + +Next note, that the Eel seldom stirs in the day, but then hides himself; +and therefore he is usually caught by night, with one of these baits of +which I have spoken; and may be then caught by laying hooks, which you +are to fasten to the bank, or twigs of a tree; or by throwing a string +across the stream, with many hooks at it, and those baited with the +aforesaid baits; and a clod, or plummet, or stone, thrown into the river +with this line, that so you may in the morning find it near to some +fixed place; and then take it up with a drag-hook, or otherwise. But +these things are, indeed, too common to be spoken of; and an hour's +fishing with any angler will teach you better, both for these and many +other common things in the practical part of angling, than a week's +discourse. I shall therefore conclude this direction for taking the Eel, +by telling you, that in a warm day in summer, I have taken many a good +Eel by Snigling, and have been much pleased with that sport. + +And because you, that are but a young angler, know not what Snigling is +I will now teach it to you. You remember I told you that Eels do not +usually stir in the daytime; for then they hide themselves under some +covert; or under boards or planks about flood-gates, or weirs, or mills; +or in holes on the river banks: so that you, observing your time in a +warm day, when the water is lowest, may take a strong small hook, tied +to a strong line, or to a string about a yard long; and then into one of +these holes, or between any boards about a mill, or under any great +stone or plank, or any place where you think an Eel may hide or shelter +herself, you may, with the help of a short stick, put in your bait, but +leisurely, and as far as you may conveniently; and it is scarce to be +doubted, but if there be an Eel within the sight of it, the Eel will +bite instantly, and as certainly gorge it; and you need not doubt to +have him if you pull him not out of the hole too quickly, but pull him +out by degrees; for he, lying folded double in his hole, will, with the +help of his tail, break all, unless you give him time to be wearied with +pulling, and so get him out by degrees, not pulling too hard. + +And to commute for your patient hearing this long direction, I shall +next tell you, how to make this Eel a most excellent dish of meat. + +First, wash him in water and salt; then pull off his skin below his vent +or navel, and not much further: having done that, take out his guts as +clean as you can, but wash him not: then give him three or four scotches +with a knife; and then put into his belly and those scotches, sweet +herbs, an anchovy, and a little nutmeg grated or cut very small, and +your herbs and anchovies must also be cut very small; and mixt with good +butter and salt: having done this, then pull his skin over him, all but +his head, which you are to cut off, to the end you may tie his skin +about that part where his head grew, and it must be so tied as to keep +all his moisture within his skin: and having done this, tie him with +tape or packthread to a spit, and roast him leisurely; and baste him +with water and salt till his skin breaks, and then with butter; and +having roasted him enough, let what was put into his belly, and what he +drips, be his sauce. S. F. + +When I go to dress an Eel thus, I wish he were as long and as big as +that which was caught in Peterborough river, in the year 1667; which was +a yard and three quarters long. If you will not believe me, then go and +see at one of the coffee-houses in King Street in Westminster. + +But now let me tell you, that though the Eel, thus drest, be not only +excellent good, but more harmless than any other way, yet it is certain +that physicians account the Eel dangerous meat; I will advise you +therefore, as Solomon says of honey, "Hast thou found it, eat no more +than is sufficient, lest thou surfeit, for it is not good to eat much +honey". And let me add this, that the uncharitable Italian bids us "give +Eels and no wine to our enemies". + +And I will beg a little more of your attention, to tell you, that +Aldrovandus, and divers physicians, commend the Eel very much for +medicine, though not for meat. But let me tell you one observation, that +the Eel is never out of season; as Trouts, and most other fish, are at +set times; at least, most Eels are not. + +I might here speak of many other fish, whose shape and nature are much +like the Eel, and frequent both the sea and fresh rivers; as, namely, +the Lamprel, the Lamprey, and the Lamperne: as also of the mighty +Conger, taken often in Severn, about Gloucester: and might also tell in +what high esteem many of them are for the curiosity of their taste. But +these are not so proper to be talked of by me, because they make us +anglers no sport; therefore I will let them alone, as the Jews do, to +whom they are forbidden by their law. + +And, scholar, there is also a FLOUNDER, a sea-fish which will wander +very far into fresh rivers, and there lose himself and dwell: and thrive +to a hand's breadth, and almost twice so long: a fish without scales, +and most excellent meat: and a fish that affords much sport to the +angler, with any small worm, but especially a little bluish worm, gotten +out of marsh-ground, or meadows, which should be well scoured. But this, +though it be most excellent meat, yet it wants scales, and is, as I told +you, therefore an abomination to the Jews. + +But, scholar, there is a fish that they in Lancashire boast very much +of, called a CHAR; taken there, and I think there only, in a mere called +Winander Mere; a mere, says Camden, that is the largest in this nation, +being ten miles in length, and some say as smooth in the bottom as if it +were paved with polished marble. This fish never exceeds fifteen or +sixteen inches in length; and is spotted like a Trout: and has scarce a +bone, but on the back. But this, though I do not know whether it make +the angler sport, yet I would have you take notice of it, because it is +a rarity, and of so high esteem with persons of great note. + +Nor would I have you ignorant of a rare fish called a GUINIAD; of which +I shall tell you what Camden and others speak. The river Dee, which runs +by Chester, springs in Merionethshire; and, as it runs toward Chester, +it runs through Pemble Mere, which is a large water: and it is observed, +that though the river Dee abounds with Salmon, and Pemble mere with the +Guiniad, yet there is never any Salmon caught in the mere, nor a +Guiniad in the river. And now my next observation shall be of the +Barbel. + + + + + +The fourth day-continued + +Of the Barbel + +Chapter XIV + +Piscator, Venator, Milk-woman + +Piscator. The Barbel is so called, says Gesner, by reason of his barb or +wattles at his mouth, which are under his nose or chaps. He is one of +those leather-mouthed fishes that I told you of, that does very seldom +break his hold if he be once hooked: but he is so strong, that he will +often break both rod and line, if he proves to be a big one. + +But the Barbel, though he be of a fine shape, and looks big, yet he is +not accounted the best fish to eat, neither for his wholesomeness nor +his taste; but the male is reputed much better than the female, whose +spawn is very hurtful, as I will presently declare to you. + +They flock together like sheep, and are at the worst in April, about +which time they spawn; but quickly grow to be in season. He is able to +live in the strongest swifts of the water: and, in summer, they love the +shallowest and sharpest streams: and love to lurk under weeds, and to +feed on gravel, against a rising ground; and will root and dig in the +sands with his nose like a hog, and there nests himself: yet sometimes +he retires to deep and swift bridges, or flood-gates, or weir; where he +will nest himself amongst piles, or in hollow places; and take such hold +of moss or weeds, that be the water never so swift, it is not able to +force him from the place that he contends for. This is his constant +custom in summer, when he and most living creatures sport themselves in +the sun: but at the approach of winter, then he forsakes the swift +streams and shallow waters, and, by degrees, retires to those parts of +the river that are quiet and deeper; in which places, and I think about +that time he spawns; and, as I have formerly told you, with the help of +the melter, hides his spawn or eggs in holes, which they both dig in the +gravel; and then they mutually labour to cover it with the same sand, to +prevent it from being devoured by other fish. + +There be such store of this fish in the river Danube, that Rondeletius +says they may, in some places of it, and in some months of the year, be +taken, by those who dwell near to the river, with their hands, eight or +ten load at a time. He says, they begin to be good in May, and that they +cease to be so in August: but it is found to be otherwise in this +nation. But thus far we agree with him, that the spawn of a Barbel, if +it be not poison, as he says, yet that it is dangerous meat, and +especially in the month of May, which is so certain, that Gesner and +Gasius declare it had an ill effect upon them, even to the endangering +of their lives. + +The fish is of a fine cast and handsome shape, with small scales, which +are placed after a most exact and curious manner, and, as I told you, +may be rather said not to be ill, than to be good meat, The Chub and he +have, I think, both lost part of their credit by ill cookery; they being +reputed the worst, or coarsest, of fresh-water fish. But the Barbel +affords an angler choice sport, being a lusty and a cunning fish; so +lusty and cunning as to endanger the breaking of the angler's line, by +running his head forcibly towards any covert, or hole, or bank, and then +striking at the line, to break it off, with his tail; as is observed by +Plutarch, in his book De Industria Animalium: and also so cunning, to +nibble and suck off your worm close to the hook, and yet avoid the +letting the hook come into his mouth. + +The Barbel is also curious for his baits; that is to say, that they be +clean and sweet; that is to say, to have your worms well scoured, and +not kept in sour and musty moss, for he is a curious feeder: but at a +well-scoured lob-worm he will bite as boldly as at any bait, and +specially if, the night or two before you fish for him, you shall bait +the places where you intend to fish for him, with big worms cut into +pieces. And note, that none did ever over-bait the place, nor fish too +early or too late for a Barbel. And the Barbel will bite also at +generals, which, not being too much scoured, but green, are a choice +bait for him: and so is cheese, which is not to be too hard, but kept a +day or two in a wet linen cloth, to make it tough; with this you may +also bait the water a day or two before you fish for the Barbel, and be +much the likelier to catch store; and if the cheese were laid in +clarified honey a short time before, as namely, an hour or two, you were +still the likelier to catch fish. Some have directed to cut the cheese +into thin pieces, and toast it; and then tie it on the hook with fine +silk. And some advise to fish for the Barbel with sheep's tallow and +soft cheese, beaten or worked into a paste; and that it is choicely good +in August: and I believe it. Rut, doubtless, the lob-worm well scoured, +and the gentle not too much scoured, and cheese ordered as I have +directed, are baits enough, and I think will serve in any month: though +I shall commend any angler that tries conclusions, and is industrious to +improve the art. And now my honest scholar, the long shower and my +tedious discourse are both ended together: and I shall give you but this +observation, that when you fish for a Barbel, your rod and line be both +long and of good strength; for, as I told you, you will find him a heavy +and a dogged fish to be dealt withal; yet he seldom or never breaks his +hold, if he be once strucken. And if you would know more of fishing for +the Umber or Barbel, get into favour with Dr. Sheldon, whose skill is +above others; and of that, the poor that dwell about him have a +comfortable experience. + +And now let's go and see what interest the Trouts will pay us, for +letting our angle-rods lie so long and so quietly in the water for their +use. Come, scholar, which will you take up? + +Venator. Which you think fit, master. + +Piscator. Why, you shall take up that; for I am certain, by viewing the +line, it has a fish at it. Look you, scholar! well done! Come, now take +up the other too: well! now you may tell my brother Peter, at night, +that you have caught a leash of Trouts this day. And now let's move +towards our lodging, and drink a draught of red-cow's milk as we go; and +give pretty Maudlin and her honest mother a brace of Trouts for their +supper. + +Venator. Master, I like your motion very well: and I think it is now +about milking-time; and yonder they be at it. + +Piscator. God speed you, good woman! I thank you both for our songs last +night: I and my companion have had such fortune a-fishing this day, that +we resolve to give you and Maudlin a brace of Trouts for supper; and we +will now taste a draught of your red-cow's milk. + +Milk-woman. Marry, and that you shall with all my heart; and I will be +still your debtor when you come this way. If you will but speak the +word, I will make you a good syllabub of new verjuice; and then you may +sit down in a haycock, and eat it; and Maudlin shall sit by and sing you +the good old song of the "Hunting in Chevy Chace," or some other good +ballad, for she hath store of them: Maudlin, my honest Maudlin, hath a +notable memory, and she thinks nothing too good for you, because you be +such honest men. + +Venator. We thank you; and intend, once in a month to call upon you +again, and give you a little warning; and so, good-night Good-night, +Maudlin. And now, good master, let's lose no time: but tell me somewhat +more of fishing; and if you please, first, something of fishing for a +Gudgeon. + +Piscator. I will, honest scholar. + + + + + +The fourth day-continued + +Of the Gudgeon, the Ruffe, and the Bleak + +Chapter XV + +Piscator + +The GUDGEON is reputed a fish of excellent taste, and to be very +wholesome. He is of a fine shape, of a silver colour, and beautified +with black spots both on his body and tail. He breeds two or three times +in the year; and always in summer. He is commended for a fish of +excellent nourishment. The Germans call him Groundling, by reason of his +feeding on the ground; and he there feasts himself, in sharp streams and +on the gravel. He and the Barbel both feed so: and do not hunt for flies +at any time, as most other fishes do. He is an excellent fish to enter a +young angler, being easy to be taken with a small red worm, on or very +near to the ground. He is one of those leather-mouthed fish that has his +teeth in his throat, and will hardly be lost off from the hook if he be +once strucken. + +They be usually scattered up and down every river in the shallows, in +the heat of summer: but in autumn, when the weeds begin to grow sour and +rot, and the weather colder, then they gather together, and get into the +deeper parts of the water; and are to be fished for there, with your +hook always touching the ground, if you fish for him with a float or +with a cork. But many will fish for the Gudgeon by hand, with a running +line upon the ground, without a cork, as a Trout is fished for: and it +is an excellent way, if you have a gentle rod, and as gentle a hand. + +There is also another fish called a POPE, and by some a RUFFE; a fish +that is not known to be in some rivers: he is much like the Perch for +his shape, and taken to be better than the Perch, but will not grow to +be bigger than a Gudgeon. He is an excellent fish; no fish that swims is +of a pleasanter taste. And he is also excellent to enter a young angler, +for he is a greedy biter: and they will usually lie, abundance of them +together, in one reserved place, where the water is deep and runs +quietly; and an easy angler, if he has found where they lie, may catch +forty or fifty, or sometimes twice so many, at a standing. + +You must fish for him with a small red worm; and if you bait the ground +with earth, it is excellent. + +There is also a BLEAK or fresh-water Sprat; a fish that is ever in +motion, and therefore called by some the river-swallow; for just as you +shall observe the swallow to be, most evenings in summer, ever in +motion, making short and quick turns when he flies to catch flies, in +the air, by which he lives; so does the Bleak at the top of the water. +Ausonius would have called him Bleak from his whitish colour: his back +is of a pleasant sad or sea-water-green; his belly, white and shining as +the mountain snow. And doubtless, though we have the fortune, which +virtue has in poor people, to be neglected, yet the Bleak ought to be +much valued, though we want Allamot salt, and the skill that the +Italians have, to turn them into anchovies. This fish may be caught with +a Pater-noster line; that is, six or eight very small hooks tied along +the line, one half a foot above the other: I have seen five caught thus +at one time; and the bait has been gentles, than which none is better. + +Or this fish may be caught with a fine small artificial fly, which is to +be of a very sad brown colour, and very small, and the hook answerable. +There is no better sport than whipping for Bleaks in a boat, or on a +bank, in the swift water, in a summer's evening, with a hazel top about +five or six foot long, and a line twice the length of the rod. I have +heard Sir Henry Wotton say, that there be many that in Italy will catch +swallows so, or especially martins; this bird-angler standing on the top +of a steeple to do it, and with the line twice so long as I have spoken +of. And let me tell you, scholar, that both Martins and Bleaks be most +excellent meat. + +And let me tell you, that I have known a Heron, that did constantly +frequent one place, caught with a hook baited with a big minnow or a +small gudgeon. The line and hook must be strong: and tied to some loose +staff, so big as she cannot fly away with it: a line not exceeding two +yards. + + + + + +The fourth day-continued + +Is of nothing, or of nothing worth + +Chapter XVI + +Piscator, Venator, Peter, Coridon + +Piscator. My purpose was to give you some directions concerning ROACH +and DACE, and some other inferior fish which make the angler excellent +sport; for you know there is more pleasure in hunting the hare than in +eating her: but I will forbear, at this time, to say any more, because +you see yonder come our brother Peter and honest Coridon. But I will +promise you, that as you and I fish and walk to-morrow towards London, +if I have now forgotten anything that I can then remember, I will not +keep it from you. + +Well met, gentlemen; this is lucky that we meet so just together at this +very door, Come, hostess, where are you? is supper ready? Come, first +give us a drink; and be as quick as you can, for I believe we are all +very hungry. Well, brother Peter and Coridon, to you both! Come, drink: +and then tell me what luck of fish: we two have caught but ten bouts, of +which my scholar caught three. Look! here's eight; and a brace we gave +away. We have had a most pleasant day for fishing and talking, and are +returned home both weary and hungry; and now meat and rest will be +pleasant. + +Peter. And Coridon and I have not had an unpleasant day: and yet I have +caught but five bouts; for, indeed, we went to a good honest ale-house, +and there we played at shovel-board half the day; all the time that it +rained we were there, and as merry as they that fished. And I am glad we +are now with a dry house over our heads; for, hark! how it rains and +blows. Come, hostess, give us more ale, and our supper with what haste +you may: and when we have supped, let us have your song, Piscator; and +the catch that your scholar promised us; or else, Coridon will be +dogged. + +Piscator. Nay, I will not be worse than my word; you shall not want my +song, and I hope I shall be perfect in it. + +Venator. And I hope the like for my catch, which I have ready too: and +therefore let's go merrily to supper, and then have a gentle touch at +singing and drinking; but the last with moderation. + +Coridon. Come, now for your song; for we have fed heartily. Come, +hostess, lay a few more sticks on the fire. And now, sing when you will. + +Piscator. Well then, here s to you, Coridon; and now for my song. + + O the gallant Fisher's life, + It is the best of any; + 'Tis full of pleasure, void of strife, + And 'tis beloved of many: + Other joys + Are but toys; + Only this + Lawful is; + For our skill + Breeds no ill, + But content and pleasure. + + In a morning up we rise + Ere Aurora's peeping, + Drink a cup to wash our eyes. + Leave the sluggard sleeping; + Then we go + To and fro, + With our knacks + At our backs + To such streams + As the Thames + If we have the leisure. + + When we please to walk abroad + For our recreation, + In the fields is our abode, + Full of delectation: + Where in a brook + With a hook + Or a lake + Fish we take: + There we sit + For a bit, + Till we fish entangle. + + We have gentles in a horn, + We have paste and worms too + We can watch both night and morn, + Suffer rain and storms too; + None do here + Use to swear; + Oaths do fray + Fish away; + We sit still, + And watch our quill + Fishers must not wrangle. + + If the sun's excessive heat + Make our bodies swelter, + To an osier hedge we get + For a friendly shelter + Where, in a dike, + Perch or Pike + Roach or Dace + We do chase Bleak or Gudgeon, + Without grudging + We are still contented. + + Or we sometimes pass an hour + Under a green willow, + That defends us from a shower, + Making earth our pillow; + Where we may + Think and pray + Before death + Stops our breath. + Other joys + Are but toys, + And to be lamented. + + Jo. Chalkhill. + +Venator. Well sung, master; this day's fortune and pleasure, and the +night's company and song, do all make me more and more in love with +angling. Gentlemen, my master left me alone for an hour this day; and I +verily believe he retired himself from talking with me that he might be +so perfect in this song; was it not, master? + +Piscator. Yes indeed, for it is many years since I learned it; and +having forgotten a part of it, I was forced to patch it up with the help +of mine own invention, who am not excellent at poetry, as my part of the +song may testify; but of that I will say no more, lest you should think +I mean, by discommending it, to beg your commendations of it. And +therefore, without replications, let's hear your catch, scholar; which I +hope will be a good one, for you are both musical and have a good fancy +to boot. + +Venator. Marry, and that you shall; and as freely as I would have my +honest master tell me some more secrets of fish and fishing, as we walk +and fish towards London to-morrow. But, master, first let me tell you, +that very hour which you were absent from me, I sat down under a +willow-tree by the water-side, and considered what you had told me of +the owner of that pleasant meadow in which you then left me; that he had +a plentiful estate, and not a heart to think so; that he had at this +time many law-suits depending; and that they both damped his mirth, and +took up so much of his time and thoughts, that he himself had not +leisure to take the sweet content that I, who pretended no title to +them, took in his fields: for I could there sit quietly; and looking on +the water, see some fishes sport themselves in the silver streams, +others leaping at flies of several shapes and colours; looking on the +hills, I could behold them spotted with woods and groves; looking down +the meadows, could see, here a boy gathering lilies and lady-smocks, and +there a girl cropping culverkeys and cowslips, all to make garlands +suitable to this present month of May: these, and many other field +flowers, so perfumed the air, that I thought that very meadow like that +field in Sicily of which Diodorus speaks, where the perfumes arising +from the place make all dogs that hunt in it to fall off, and to lose +their hottest scent I say, as I thus sat, joying in my own happy +condition, and pitying this poor rich man that owned this and many other +pleasant groves and meadows about me, I did thankfully remember what my +Saviour said, that the meek possess the earth; or rather, they enjoy +what the others possess, and enjoy not; for anglers and meek +quiet-spirited men are free from those high, those restless thoughts, +which corrode the sweets of life; and they, and they only, can say, as +the poet has happily express it, + + Hail! blest estate of lowliness; + Happy enjoyments of such minds + As, rich in self-contentedness, + Can, like the reeds, in roughest winds, + By yielding make that blow but small + At which proud oaks and cedars fall. + +There came also into my mind at that time certain verses in praise of a +mean estate and humble mind: they were written by Phineas Fletcher, an +excellent divine, and an excellent angler; and the author of excellent +Piscatory Eclogues, in which you shall see the picture of this good +man's mind: and I wish mine to be like it. + + No empty hopes, no courtly fears him fright; + No begging wants his middle fortune bite: + But sweet content exiles both misery and spite. + + His certain life, that never can deceive him, + Is full of thousand sweets and rich content + The smooth-leav'd beeches in the field receive him, + With coolest shade, till noon-tide's heat be spent. + His life is neither tost in boisterous, seas, + Or the vexatious world, or lost in slothful ease; + Please and full blest he lives when he his God can please. + + His bed, more safe than soft, yields quiet sleeps, + While by his side his faithful spouse teas place + His little son into his bosom creeps, + The lively picture of his father's face. + His humble house or poor state ne'er torment him + Less he could like, if less his God had lent him; + And when he dies, green turfs do for a tomb content him, + +Gentlemen, these were a part of the thoughts that then possessed me. And +I there made a conversion of a piece of an old catch, and added more to +it, fitting them to be sung by us anglers. Come, Master, you can sing +well: you must sing a part of it, as it is in this paper. + + Man's life is but vain, for 'tis subject to pain, + And sorrow, and short as a bubble; + 'Tis a hodge-podge of business, and money, and care, + And care, and money, and trouble. + + But we'll take no care when the weather proves fair; + Nor will we vex now though it rain; + We'll banish all sorrow, and sing till to-morrow, + And angle, and angle again. + +Peter. I marry, Sir, this is musick indeed; this has cheer'd my heart, +and made me remember six verses in praise of musick, which I will speak +to you instantly. + + Musick! miraculous rhetorick, thou speak'st sense + Without a tongue, excelling eloquence; + With what ease might thy errors be excus'd, + Wert thou as truly lov'd as th' art abus'd! + But though dull souls neglect, and some reprove thee, + I cannot hate thee, 'cause the Angels love thee. + +Venator. And the repetition of these last verses of musick has called to +my memory what Mr. Edmund Waller, a lover of the angle, says of love and +musick. + + Whilst I listen to thy voice, + Chloris! I feel my heart decay + That powerful voice + Calls my fleeting soul away: + Oh! suppress that magic sound, + Which destroys without a wound. + + Peace, Chloris! peace, or singing die, + That together you and I + To heaven may go; + For all we know + Of what the blessed do above + Is, that they sing, and that they love. + +Piscator. Well remembered, brother Peter; these verses came seasonably, +and we thank you heartily. Come, we will all join together, my host and +all, and sing my scholar's catch over again; and then each man drink the +tother cup, and to bed; and thank God we have a dry house over our +heads. + +Piscator. Well, now, good-night to everybody. Peter. And so say I. + +Venator. And so say I. + +Coridon. Good-night to you all; and I thank you. + + + + + +The FIFTH day. + +Piscator. Good-morrow, brother Peter, and the like to you, honest +Coridon. + +Come, my hostess says there is seven shillings to pay: let's each man +drink a pot for his morning's draught, and lay down his two shillings, +so that my hostess may not have occasion to repent herself of being so +diligent, and using us so kindly. + +Peter. The motion is liked by everybody, and so, hostess, here's your +money: we anglers are all beholden to you; it will not be long ere I'll +see you again; and now, brother Piscator, I wish you, and my brother +your scholar, a fair day and good fortune. Come, Coridon, this is our +way. + + + + + +The FIFTH day-continued + +Of Roack and Dace + +Chapter XVII + +Venator and Piscator + +Venator. Good master, as we go now towards London, be still so courteous +as to give me more instructions; for I have several boxes in my memory, +in which I will keep them all very safe, there shall not one of them be +lost. + +Piscator. Well, scholar, that I will: and I will hide nothing from you +that I can remember, and can think may help you forward towards a +perfection in this art. And because we have so much time, and I have +said so little of Roach and Dace, I will give you some directions +concerning them. + +Some say the Roach is so called from rutilus, which they say signifies +red fins. He is a fish of no great reputation for his dainty taste; and +his spawn is accounted much better than any other part of him. And you +may take notice, that as the Carp is accounted the water-fox, for his +cunning; so the Roach is accounted the water-sheep, for his simplicity +or foolishness. It is noted, that the Roach and Dace recover strength, +and grow in season in a fortnight after spawning; the Barbel and Chub in +a month; the Trout in four months; and the Salmon in the like time, if +he gets into the sea, and after into fresh water. + +Roaches be accounted much better in the river than in a pond, though +ponds usually breed the biggest. But there is a kind of bastard small +Roach, that breeds in ponds, with a very forked tail, and of a very +small size; which some say is bred by the Bream and right Roach; and +some ponds are stored with these beyond belief; and knowing-men, that +know their difference, call them Ruds: they differ from the true Roach, +as much as a Herring from a Pilchard. And these bastard breed of Roach +are now scattered in many rivers: but I think not in the Thames, which I +believe affords the largest and fattest in this nation, especially below +London Bridge. The Roach is a leather-mouthed fish, and has a kind of +saw-like teeth in his throat. And lastly, let me tell you, the Roach +makes an angler excellent sport, especially the great Roaches about +London, where I think there be the best Roach-anglers. And I think the +best Trout-anglers be in Derbyshire; for the waters there are clear to +an extremity. + +Next, let me tell you, you shall fish for this Roach in Winter, with +paste or gentles; in April, with worms or cadis; in the very hot months, +with little white snails; or with flies under water, for he seldom takes +them at the top, though the Dace will. In many of the hot months, +Roaches may also be caught thus: take a May-fly, or ant-fly, sink him +with a little lead to the bottom, near to the piles or posts of a +bridge, or near to any posts of a weir, I mean any deep place where +Roaches lie quietly, and then pull your fly up very leisurely, and +usually a Roach will follow your bait up to the very top of the water, +and gaze on it there, and run at it, and take it, lest the fly should +fly away from him. + +I have seen this done at Windsor and Henley Bridge, and great store of +Roach taken; and sometimes, a Dace or Chub. And in August you may fish +for them with a paste made only of the crumbs of bread, which should be +of pure fine manchet; and that paste must be so tempered betwixt your +hands till it be both soft and tough too: a very little water, and time, +and labour, and clean hands, will make it a most excellent paste. But +when you fish with it, you must have a small hook, a quick eye, and a +nimble hand, or the bait is lost, and the fish too; if one may lose that +which he never had. With this paste you may, as I said, take both the +Roach and the Dace or Dare; for they be much of a kind, in manner of +feeding, cunning, goodness, and usually in size. And therefore take this +general direction, for some other baits which may concern you to take +notice of: they will bite almost at any fly, but especially at +ant-flies; concerning which take this direction, for it is very good. + +Take the blackish ant-fly out of the mole-hill or ant-hill, in which +place you shall find them in the month of June; or if that be too early +in the year, then, doubtless, you may find them in July, August, and +most of September. Gather them alive, with both their wings: and then +put them into a glass that will hold a quart or a pottle; but first put +into the glass a handful, or more, of the moist earth out of which you +gather them, and as much of the roots of the grass of the said hillock; +and then put in the flies gently, that they lose not their wings: lay a +clod of earth over it; and then so many as are put into the glass, +without bruising, will live there a month or more, and be always in +readiness for you to fish with: but if you would have them keep longer, +then get any great earthen pot, or barrel of three or four gallons, +which is better, then wash your barrel with water and honey; and having +put into it a quantity of earth and grass roots, then put in your flies, +and cover it, and they will live a quarter of a year. These, in any +stream and clear water, are a deadly bait for Roach or Dace, or for a +Chub: and your rule is to fish not less than a handful from the bottom. + +I shall next tell you a winter-bait for a Roach, a Dace, or Chub; and it +is choicely good. About All-hallantide, and so till frost comes, when +you see men ploughing up heath ground, or sandy ground, or greenswards, +then follow the plough, and you shall find a white worm, as big as two +maggots, and it hath a red head: you may observe in what ground most +are, for there the crows will be very watchful and follow the plough +very close: it is all soft, and full of whitish guts; a worm that is, in +Norfolk and some other counties, called a grub; and is bred of the spawn +or eggs of a beetle, which she leaves in holes that she digs in the +ground under cow or horse dung, and there rests all winter, and in March +or April comes to be first a red and then a black beetle. Gather a +thousand or two of these, and put them, with a peck or two of their own +earth, into some tub or firkin, and cover and keep them so warm that the +frost or cold air, or winds, kill them not: these you may keep all +winter, and kill fish with them at any time; and if you put some of them +into a little earth and honey, a day before you use them, you will find +them an excellent bait for Bream, Carp, or indeed for almost any fish. + +And after this manner you may also keep gentles all winter; which are a +good bait then, and much the better for being lively and tough. Or you +may breed and keep gentles thus: take a piece of beast's liver, and, +with a cross stick, hang it in some corner, over a pot or barrel half +full of dry clay; and as the gentles grow big, they will fall into the +barrel and scour themselves, and be always ready for use whensoever you +incline to fish; and these gentles may be thus created till after +Michaelmas. But if you desire to keep gentles to fish with all the year, +then get a dead cat, or a kite, and let it be flyblown; and when the +gentles begin to be alive and to stir, then bury it and them in soft +moist earth, but as free from frost as you can; and these you may dig up +at any time when you intend to use them: these will last till March, and +about that time turn to be flies. + +But if you be nice to foul your fingers, which good anglers seldom are, +then take this bait: get a handful of well-made malt, and put it into a +dish of water; and then wash and rub it betwixt your hands till you +make it clean, and as free from husks as you can; then put that water +from it, and put a small quantity of fresh water to it, and set it in +something that is fit for that purpose, over the fire, where it is not +to boil apace, but leisurely and very softly, until it become somewhat +soft, which you may try by feeling it betwixt your finger and thumb; and +when it is soft, then put your water from it: and then take a sharp +knife, and turning the sprout end of the corn upward with the point of +your knife, take the back part of the husk off from it, and yet leaving +a kind of inward husk on the corn, or else it is marr'd and then cut off +that sprouted end, I mean a little of it, that the white may appear; and +so pull off the husk on the cloven side, as I directed you; and then +cutting off a very little of the other end, that so your hook may enter; +and if your hook be small and good, you will find this to be a very +choice bait, either for winter or summer, you sometimes casting a little +of it into the place where your float swims. + +And to take the Roach and Dace, a good bait is the young brood of wasps +or bees, if you dip their heads in blood; especially good for Bream, if +they be baked, or hardened in their husks in an oven, after the bread is +taken out of it; or hardened on a fire-shovel: and so also is the thick +blood of sheep, being half dried on a trencher, that so you may cut into +such pieces as may best fit the size of your hook; and a little salt +keeps it from growing black, and makes it not the worse, but better: +this is taken to be a choice bait, if rightly ordered. + +There be several oils of a strong smell that I have been told of, and to +be excellent to tempt fish to bite, of which I could say much. But I +remember I once carried a small bottle from Sir George Hastings to Sir +Henry Wotton, they were both chemical men, as a great present: it was +sent, and receiv'd, and us'd, with great confidence; and yet, upon +inquiry, I found it did not answer the expectation of Sir Henry; which, +with the help of this and other circumstances, makes me have little +belief in such things as many men talk of. Not but that I think that +fishes both smell and hear, as I have express in my former discourse: +but there is a mysterious knack, which though it be much easier than the +philosopher's stone, yet is not attainable by common capacities, or else +lies locked up in the brain or breast of some chemical man, that, like +the Rosicrucians, will not yet reveal it. But let me nevertheless tell +you, that camphire, put with moss into your worm-bag with your worms, +makes them, if many anglers be not very much mistaken, a tempting bait, +and the angler more fortunate. But I stepped by chance into this +discourse of oils, and fishes smelling; and though there might be more +said, both of it and of baits for Roach and Dace and other float-fish, +yet I will forbear it at this time, and tell you, in the next place, +how you are to prepare your tackling: concerning which, I will, for +sport sake, give you an old rhyme out of an old fish book; which will +prove a part, and but a part, of what you are to provide. + + My rod and my line, my float and my lead, + My hook and my plummet, my whetstone and knife, + My basket, my baits, both living and dead, + My net, and my meat, for that is the chief: + Then I must have thread, and hairs green and small, + With mine angling purse: and so you have all. + +But you must have all these tackling, and twice so many more, with +which, if you mean to be a fisher, you must store yourself; and to that +purpose I will go with you, either to Mr. Margrave, who dwells amongst +the book-sellers in St. Paul's Church-yard, or to Mr. John Stubs, near +to the Swan in Goldinglane: they be both honest men, and will fit an +angler with what tackling he lacks. + +Venator. Then, good master, let it be at--for he is nearest to my +dwelling. And I pray let's meet there the ninth of May next, about two +of the clock; and I'll want nothing that a fisher should be furnished +with. + +Piscator. Well, and I'll not fail you, God willing, at the time and +place appointed. + +Venator. I thank you, good master, and I will not fail you. And, good +master, tell me what BAITS more you remember; for it will not now be +long ere we shall be at Tottenham-High-Cross; and when we come thither I +will make you some requital of your pains, by repeating as choice a copy +of Verses as any we have heard since we met together; and that is a +proud word, for we have heard very good ones. + +Piscator Well, scholar, and I shall be then right glad to hear them. And +I will, as we walk, tell you whatsoever comes in my mind, that I think +may be worth your hearing. You may make another choice bait thus: take a +handful or two of the best and biggest wheat you can get; boil it in a +little milk, like as frumity is boiled; boil it so till it be soft; and +then fry it, very leisurely, with honey, and a little beaten saffron +dissolved in milk; and you will find this a choice bait, and good, I +think, for any fish, especially for Roach, Dace, Chub, or Grayling: I +know not but that it may be as good for a river Carp, and especially if +the ground be a little baited with it. + +And you may also note, that the SPAWN of most fish is a very tempting +bait, being a little hardened on a warm tile and cut into fit pieces. +Nay, mulberries, and those black-berries which grow upon briars, be good +baits for Chubs or Carps: with these many have been taken in ponds, and +in some rivers where such trees have grown near the water, and the fruit +customarily drops into it. And there be a hundred other baits, more than +can be well named, which, by constant baiting the water, will become a +tempting bait for any fish in it. + +You are also to know, that there be divers kinds of CADIS, or +Case-worms, that are to be found in this nation, in several distinct +counties, in several little brooks that relate to bigger rivers; as +namely, one cadis called a piper, whose husk, or case, is a piece of +reed about an inch long, or longer, and as big about as the compass of a +two-pence. These worms being kept three or four days in a woollen bag, +with sand at the bottom of it, and the bag wet once a day, will in three +or four days turn to be yellow; and these be a choice bait for the Chub +or Chavender, or indeed for any great fish, for it is a large bait. + +There is also a lesser cadis-worm, called a Cockspur, being in fashion +like the spur of a cock, sharp at one end: and the case, or house, in +which this dwells, is made of small husks, and gravel, and slime, most +curiously made of these, even so as to be wondered at, but not to be +made by man, no more than a king-fisher's nest can, which is made of +little fishes' bones, and have such a geometrical interweaving and +connection as the like is not to be done by the art of man. This kind of +cadis is a choice bait for any float-fish; it is much less than the +piper-cadis, and to be so ordered: and these may be so preserved, ten, +fifteen, or twenty days, or it may be longer. + +There is also another cadis, called by some a Straw-worm, and by some a +Ruff-coat, whose house, or case, is made of little pieces of bents, and +rushes, and straws, and water-weeds, and I know not what; which are so +knit together with condensed slime, that they stick about her husk or +case, not unlike the bristles of a hedge-hog. These three cadises are +commonly taken in the beginning of summer; and are good, indeed, to take +any kind of fish, with float or otherwise. I might tell you of many +more, which as they do early, so those have their time also of turning +to be flies in later summer; but I might lose myself, and tire you, by +such a discourse: I shall therefore but remember you, that to know +these, and their several kinds, and to what flies every particular cadis +turns, and then how to use them, first as they be cadis, and after as +they be flies, is an art, and an art that every one that professes to be +an angler has not leisure to search after, and, if he had, is not +capable of learning. + +I'll tell you, scholar; several countries have several kinds of cadises, +that indeed differ as much as dogs do; that is to say, as much as a very +cur and a greyhound do. These be usually bred in the very little rills, +or ditches, that run into bigger rivers; and I think a more proper bait +for those very rivers than any other. I know not how, or of what, this +cadis receives life, or what coloured fly it turns to; but doubtless +they are the death of many Trouts: and this is one killing way: + +Take one, or more if need be, of these large yellow cadis: pull off his +head, and with it pull out his black gut; put the body, as little +bruised as is possible, on a very little hook, armed on with a red hair, +which will shew like the cadis-head; and a very little thin lead, so put +upon the shank of the hook that it may sink presently. Throw this bait, +thus ordered, which will look very yellow, into any great still hole +where a Trout is, and he will presently venture his life for it, it is +not to be doubted, if you be not espied; and that the bait first touch +the water before the line. And this will do best in the deepest stillest +water. + +Next, let me tell you, I have been much pleased to walk quietly by a +brook, with a little stick in my hand, with which I might easily take +these, and consider the curiosity of their composure: and if you should +ever like to do so, then note, that your stick must be a little hazel, +or willow, cleft, or have a nick at one end of it, by which means you +may, with ease, take many of them in that nick out of the water, before +you have any occasion to use them. These, my honest scholar, are some +observations, told to you as they now come suddenly into my memory, of +which you may make some use: but for the practical part, it is that that +makes an angler: it is diligence, and observation, and practice, and an +ambition to be the best in the art, that must do it. I will tell you, +scholar, I once heard one say, "I envy not him that eats better meat +than I do; nor him that is richer, or that wears better clothes than I +do: I envy nobody but him, and him only, that catches more fish than I +do". And such a man is like to prove an angler; and this noble +emulation I wish to you, and all young anglers. + + + + +The FIFTH day-continued + +Of the Minnow, or Penk; Loach, Bull-Head, or Miller's-Thumb: and the +Stickle-bag + +Chapter XVIII + +Piscator and Venator + +Piscator. There be also three or four other little fish that I had +almost forgot; that are all without scales; and may for excellency of +meat, be compared to any fish of greatest value and largest size. They +be usually full of eggs or spawn, all the months of summer; for they +breed often, as 'tis observed mice and many of the smaller four-footed +creatures of the earth do and as those, so these come quickly to their +full growth and perfection. And it is needful that they breed both often +and numerously; for they be, besides other accidents of ruin, both a +prey and baits for other fish. And first I shall tell you of the Minnow +or Penk. + +The MINNOW hath, when he is in perfect season, and not sick, which is +only presently after spawning, a kind of dappled or waved colour, like +to a panther, on its sides, inclining to a greenish or sky-colour; his +belly being milk white; and his back almost black or blackish. He is a +sharp biter at a small worm, and in hot weather makes excellent sport +for young anglers, or boys, or women that love that recreation. And in +the spring they make of them excellent Minnow-tansies; for being washed +well in salt, and their heads and tails cut off, and their guts taken +out, and not washed after, they prove excellent for that use; that is, +being fried with yolk of eggs, the flowers of cowslips and of primroses, +and a little tansy; thus used they make a dainty dish of meat. + +The LOACH is, as I told you, a most dainty fish: he breeds and feeds in +little and clear swift brooks or rills, and lives there upon the gravel, +and in the sharpest streams: he grows not to be above a finger long, and +no thicker than is suitable to that length. The Loach is not unlike the +shape of the Eel: he has a beard or wattles like a barbel. He has two +fins at his sides, four at his belly, and one at his tail; he is dappled +with many black or brown spots; his mouth is barbel-like under his nose. +This fish is usually full of eggs or spawn; and is by Gesner, and other +learned physicians, commended for great nourishment, and to be very +grateful both to the palate and stomach of sick persons. He is to be +fished for with a very small worm, at the bottom; for he very seldom, or +never, rises above the gravel, on which I told you he usually gets his +living. + +The MILLER'S-THUMB, or BULL-HEAD, is a fish of no pleasing shape. He is +by Gesner compared to the Sea-toad-fish, for his similitude and shape. +It has a head big and flat, much greater than suitable to his body; a +mouth very wide, and usually gaping; he is without teeth, but his lips +are very rough, much like to a file. He hath two fins near to his gills, +which be roundish or crested; two fins also under the belly; two on the +back; one below the vent; and the fin of his tail is round. Nature hath +painted the body of this fish with whitish, blackish, brownish spots. +They be usually full of eggs or spawn all the summer, I mean the +females; and those eggs swell their vents almost into the form of a dug. +They begin to spawn about April, and, as I told you, spawn several +months in the summer. And in the winter, the Minnow, and Loach, and +Bull-head dwell in the mud, as the Eel doth; or we know not where, no +more than we know where the cuckoo and swallow, and other half-year +birds, which first appear to us in April, spend their six cold, winter, +melancholy months. This BULL-HEAD does usually dwell, and hide himself, +in holes, or amongst stones in clear water; and in very hot days will +lie a long time very still, and sun himself, and will be easy to be seen +upon any flat stone, or any gravel; at which time he will suffer an +angler to put a hook, baited with a small worm, very near unto his very +mouth: and he never refuses to bite, nor indeed to be caught with the +worst of anglers. Matthiolus commends him much more for his taste and +nourishment, than for his shape or beauty. + +There is also a little fish called a STICKLEBAG, a fish without scales, +but hath his body fenced with several prickles. I know not where he +dwells in winter; nor what he is good for in summer, but only to make +sport for boys and women-anglers, and to feed other fish that be fish of +prey, as Trouts in particular, who will bite at him as at a Penk; and +better, if your hook be rightly baited with him, for he may be so baited +as, his tail turning like the sail of a wind-mill, will make him turn +more quick than any Penk or Minnow can. For note, that the nimble +turning of that, or the Minnow is the perfection of Minnow-fishing. To +which end, if you put your hook into his mouth, and out at his tail; and +then, having first tied him with white thread a little above his tail, +and placed him after such a manner on your hook as he is like to turn +then sew up his mouth to your line, and he is like to turn quick, and +tempt any Trout: but if he does not turn quick, then turn his tail, a +little more or less, towards the inner part, or towards the side of the +hook; or put the Minnow or Sticklebag a little more crooked or more +straight on your hook, until it will turn both true and fast; and then +doubt not but to tempt any great Trout that lies in a swift stream. And +the Loach that I told you of will do the like: no bait is more tempting, +provided the Loach be not too big. + +And now, scholar, with the help of this fine morning, and your patient +attention, I have said all that my present memory will afford me, +concerning most of the several fish that are usually fished for in fresh +waters. + +Venator. But, master, you have by your former civility made me hope that +you will make good your promise, and say something of the several rivers +that be of most note in this nation; and also of fish-ponds, and the +ordering of them: and do it I pray, good master; for I love any +discourse of rivers, and fish and fishing; the time spent in such +discourse passes away very pleasantly. + + + + +The FIFTH day-continued + +Of Rivers, and some Observations of Fish + +Chapter XIX + +Piscator + +WELL, scholar, since the ways and weather do both favour us, and that we +yet see not Tottenham-Cross, you shall see my willingness to satisfy +your desire. And, first, for the rivers of this nation: there be, as you +may note out of Dr. Heylin's Geography and others, in number three +hundred and twenty-five; but those of chiefest note he reckons and +describes as followeth. + +The chief is THAMISIS, compounded of two rivers, Thame and Isis; whereof +the former, rising somewhat beyond Thame in Buckinghamshire, and the +latter near Cirencester in Gloucestershire, meet together about +Dorchester in Oxfordshire; the issue of which happy conjunction is +Thamisis, or Thames; hence it flieth betwixt Berks, Buckinghamshire, +Middlesex, Surrey, Kent and Essex: and so weddeth itself to the Kentish +Medway, in the very jaws of the ocean. This glorious river feeleth the +violence and benefit of the sea more than any river in Europe; ebbing +and flowing, twice a day, more than sixty miles; about whose banks are +so many fair towns and princely palaces, that a German poet thus truly +spake: + + Tot campos, &c. + + We saw so many woods and princely bowers, + Sweet fields, brave palaces, and stately towers; + So many gardens drest with curious care, + That Thames with royal Tiber may compare. + +2. The second river of note is SABRINA or SEVERN: it hath its beginning +in Plinilimmon-hill, in Montgomeryshire; and his end seven miles from +Bristol; washing, in the mean space, the walls of Shrewsbury, Worcester, +and Gloucester, and divers other places and palaces of note. + +3. TRENT, so called from thirty kind of fishes that are found in it, or +for that it receiveth thirty lesser rivers; who having his fountain in +Staffordshire, and gliding through the counties of Nottingham, Lincoln, +Leicester, and York, augmenteth the turbulent current of Humber, the +most violent stream of all the isle. This Humber is not, to say truth, a +distinct river having a spring-head of his own, but it is rather the +mouth or aestuarium of divers rivers here confluent and meeting +together, namely, your Derwent, and especially of Ouse and Trent; and, +as the Danow, having received into its channel the river Dravus, Savus, +Tibiscus, and divers others, changeth his name into this of Humberabus, +as the old geographers call it. + +4. MEDWAY, a Kentish river, famous for harbouring the royal navy. + +5. TWEED, the north-east bound of England; on whose northern banks is +seated the strong and impregnable town of Berwick. + +6. TYNE, famous for Newcastle, and her inexhaustible coal-pits. These, +and the rest of principal note, are thus comprehended in one of Mr. +Drayton's Sonnets: + + Our floods' queen, Thames, for ships and swans is crown'd + And stately Severn for her shore is prais'd; + The crystal Trent, for fords and fish renown'd; + And Avon's fame to Albion's cliffs is rais'd. + + Carlegion Chester vaunts her holy Dee; + York many wonders of her Ouse can tell; + The Peak, her Dove, whose banks so fertile be, + And Kent will say her Medway doth excel: + + Cotswold commends her Isis to the Tame: + Our northern borders boast of Tweed's fair flood; + Our Western parts extol their Willy's fame, + And the old Lea brags of the Danish blood. + +These observations are out of learned Dr. Heylin, and my old deceased +friend, Michael Drayton; and because you say you love such discourses as +these, of rivers, and fish, and fishing, I love you the better, and love +the more to impart them to you. Nevertheless, scholar, if I should begin +but to name the several sorts of strange fish that are usually taken in +many of those rivers that run into the sea, I might beget wonder in you, +or unbelief, or both: and yet I will venture to tell you a real truth +concerning one lately dissected by Dr. Wharton, a man of great learning +and experience, and of equal freedom to communicate it; one that loves +me and my art; one to whom I have been beholden for many of the choicest +observations that I have imparted to you. This good man, that dares do +anything rather than tell an untruth, did, I say, tell me he had lately +dissected one strange fish, and he thus described it to me: + +"This fish was almost a yard broad, and twice that length; his mouth +wide enough to receive, or take into it, the head of a man; his stomach, +seven or eight inches broad. He is of a slow motion; and usually lies or +lurks close in the mud; and has a moveable string on his head, about a +span or near unto a quarter of a yard long; by the moving of which, +which is his natural bait, when he lies close and unseen in the mud, he +draws other smaller fish so close to him, that he can suck them into his +mouth, and so devours and digests them." + +And, scholar, do not wonder at this; for besides the credit of the +relator, you are to note, many of these, and fishes which are of the +like and more unusual shapes, are very often taken on the mouths of our +sea rivers, and on the sea shore. And this will be no wonder to any that +have travelled Egypt; where, 'tis known, the famous river Nilus does not +only breed fishes that yet want names, but, by the overflowing of that +river, and the help of the sun's heat on the fat slime which the river +leaves on the banks when it falls back into its natural channel, such +strange fish and beasts are also bred, that no man can give a name to; +as Grotius in his Sopham, and others, have observed. + +But whither am I strayed in this discourse. I will end it by telling +you, that at the mouth of some of these rivers of ours, Herrings are so +plentiful, as namely, near to Yarmouth in Norfolk, and in the west +country Pilchers so very plentiful, as you will wonder to read what our +learned Camden relates of them in his Britannia. + +Well, scholar, I will stop here, and tell you what by reading and +conference I have observed concerning fish-ponds. + + + + +The FIFTH day-continued + +Of Fish-Ponds + +Chapter XX + +Piscator + +DOCTOR LEBAULT, the learned Frenchman, in his large discourse of Maison +Rustique, gives this direction for making of fish-ponds. I shall refer +you to him, to read it at large: but I think I shall contract it, and +yet make it as useful. + +He adviseth, that when you have drained the ground, and made the earth +firm where the head of the pond must be, that you must then, in that +place, drive in two or three rows of oak or elm piles, which should be +scorched in the fire, or half-burnt, before they be driven into the +earth; for being thus used, it preserves them much longer from rotting. +And having done so, lay faggots or bavins of smaller wood betwixt them: +and then, earth betwixt and above them: and then, having first very well +rammed them and the earth, use another pile in like manner as the first +were: and note, that the second pile is to be of or about the height +that you intend to make your sluice or floodgate, or the vent that you +intend shall convey the overflowings of your pond in any flood that +shall endanger the breaking of your pond-dam. + +Then he advises, that you plant willows or owlers, about it, or both: +and then cast in bavins, in some places not far from the side, and in +the most sandy places, for fish both to spawn upon, and to defend them +and the young fry from the many fish, and also from vermin, that lie at +watch to destroy them, especially the spawn of the Carp and Tench, when +'tis left to the mercy of ducks or vermin. + +He, and Dubravius, and all others advise, that you make choice of such a +place for your pond, that it may be refreshed with a little rill, or +with rain water, running or falling into it; by which fish are more +inclined both to breed, and are also refreshed and fed the better, and +do prove to be of a much sweeter and more pleasant taste. + +To which end it is observed, that such pools as be large and have most +gravel, and shallows where fish may sport themselves, do afford fish of +the purest taste. And note, that in all pools it is best for fish to +have some retiring place; as namely, hollow banks, or shelves, or roots +of trees, to keep them from danger, and, when they think fit, from the +extreme heat of summer; as also from the extremity of cold in winter. +And note, that if many trees be growing about your pond, the leaves +thereof falling into the water, make it nauseous to the fish, and the +fish to be so to the eater of it. + +'Tis noted, that the Tench and Eel love mud; and the Carp loves gravelly +ground, and in the hot months to feed on grass. You are to cleanse your +pond, if you intend either profit or pleasure, once every three or four +years, especially some ponds, and then let it dry six or twelve months, +both to kill the water-weeds, as water-lilies, candocks, reate, and +bulrushes, that breed there; and also that as these die for want of +water, so grass may grow in the pond's bottom, which Carps will eat +greedily in all the hot months, if the pond be clean. The letting your +pond dry and sowing oats in the bottom is also good, for the fish feed +the faster; and being sometimes let dry, you may observe what kind of +fish either increases or thrives best in that water; for they differ +much, both in their breeding and feeding. + +Lebault also advises, that if your ponds be not very large and roomy, +that you often feed your fish, by throwing into them chippings of bread, +curds, grains, or the entrails of chickens or of any fowl or beast that +you kill to feed yourselves; for these afford fish a great relief. He +says, that frogs and ducks do much harm, and devour both the spawn and +the young fry of all fish, especially of the Carp; and I have, besides +experience, many testimonies of it. But Lebault allows water-frogs to be +good meat, especially in some months, if they be fat: but you are to +note, that he is a Frenchman; and we English will hardly believe him, +though we know frogs are usually eaten in his country: however he +advises to destroy them and king-fishers out of your ponds. And he +advises not to suffer much shooting at wild fowl; for that, he says, +affrightens, and harms, and destroys the fish. + +Note, that Carps and Tench thrive and breed best when no other fish is +put with them into the same pond; for all other fish devour their spawn, +or at least the greatest part of it. And note, that clods of grass +thrown into any pond feed any Carps in summer; and that garden-earth and +parsley thrown into a pond recovers and refreshes the sick fish. And +note, that when you store your pond, you are to put into it two or three +melters for one spawner, if you put them into a breeding-pond; but if +into a nurse-pond, or feeding-pond, in which they will not breed, then +no care is to be taken whether there be most male or female Carps. + +It is observed that the best ponds to breed Carps are those that be +stony or sandy, and are warm, and free from wind; and that are not deep, +but have willow-trees and grass on their sides, over which the water +does sometimes flow: and note, that Carps do more usually breed in +marle-pits, or pits that have clean clay bottoms; or in new ponds, or +ponds that lie dry a winter season, than in old ponds that be full of +mud and weeds. + +Well, Scholar, I have told you the substance of all that either +observation or discourse, or a diligent survey of Dubravius and Lebault +hath told me: not that they, in their long discourses, have not said +more; but the most of the rest are so common observations, as if a man +should tell a good arithmetician that twice two is four. I will +therefore put an end to this discourse; and we will here sit down and +rest us. + + + + + +The FIFTH day-continued + +Chapter XXI + +Piscator and Venator + +Piscator. Well, Scholar, I have held you too long about these cadis, and +smaller fish, and rivers, and fish-ponds; and my spirits are almost +spent, and so I doubt is your patience; but being we are now almost at +Tottenham where I first met you, and where we are to part, I will lose +no time, but give you a little direction how to make and order your +lines, and to colour the hair of which you make your lines, for that is +very needful to be known of an angler; and also how to paint your rod, +especially your top; for a right-grown top is a choice commodity, and +should be preserved from the water soaking into it, which makes it in +wet weather to be heavy and fish ill-favouredly, and not true; and also +it rots quickly for want of painting: and I think a good top is worth +preserving, or I had not taken care to keep a top above twenty years. + +But first for your Line. First note, that you are to take care that your +hair be round and clear, and free from galls, or scabs, or frets: for a +well-chosen, even, clear, round hair, of a kind of glass-colour, will +prove as strong as three uneven scabby hairs that are ill-chosen, and +full of galls or unevenness. You shall seldom find a black hair but it +is round, but many white are flat and uneven; therefore, if you get a +lock of right, round, clear, glass-colour hair, make much of it. + +And for making your line, observe this rule: first, let your hair be +clean washed ere you go about to twist it; and then choose not only the +clearest hair for it, but hairs that be of an equal bigness, for such do +usually stretch all together, and break all together, which hairs of an +unequal bigness never do, but break singly, and so deceive the angler +that trusts to them. + +When you have twisted your links, lay them in water for a quarter of an +hour at least, and then twist them over again before you tie them into a +line: for those that do not so shall usually find their line to have a +hair or two shrink, and be shorter than the rest, at the first fishing +with it, which is so much of the strength of the line lost for want of +first watering it, and then re-twisting it; and this is most visible in +a seven-hair line, one of those which hath always a black hair in the +middle. + +And for dyeing of your hairs, do it thus: take a pint of strong ale, +half a pound of soot, and a little quantity of the juice of walnut-tree +leaves, and an equal quantity of alum: put these together into a pot, +pan, or pipkin, and boil them half an hour; and having so done, let it +cool; and being cold, put your hair into it, and there let it lie; it +will turn your hair to be a kind of water or glass colour, or greenish; +and the longer you let it lie, the deeper coloured it will be. You might +be taught to make many other colours, but it is to little purpose; for +doubtless the water-colour or glass-coloured hair is the most choice and +most useful for an angler, but let it not be too green. + +But if you desire to colour hair greener, then do it thus: take a quart +of small ale, half a pound of alum; then put these into a pan or pipkin, +and your hair into it with them; then put it upon a fire, and let it +boil softly for half an hour; and then take out your hair, and let it +dry; and having so done, then take a pottle of water, and put into it +two handfuls of marigolds, and cover it with a tile or what you think +fit, and set it again on the fire, where it is to boil again softly for +half an hour, about which time the scum will turn yellow; then put into +it half a pound of copperas, beaten small, and with it the hair that you +intend to colour; then let the hair be boiled softly till half the +liquor be wasted, and then let it cool three or four hours, with your +hair in it; and you are to observe that the more copperas you put into +it, the greener it will be; but doubtless the pale green is best. But if +you desire yellow hair, which is only good when the weeds rot, then put +in more marigolds; and abate most of the copperas, or leave it quite +out, and take a little verdigris instead of it. + +This for colouring your hair. + +And as for painting your Rod, which must be in oil, you must first make +a size with glue and water, boiled together until the glue be dissolved, +and the size of a lye-colour: then strike your size upon the wood with a +bristle, or a brush or pencil, whilst it is hot: that being quite dry, +take white-lead, and a little red-lead, and a little coal-black, so much +as altogether will make an ash-colour: grind these altogether with +linseed-oil; let it be thick, and lay it thin upon the wood with a brush +or pencil: this do for the ground of any colour to lie upon wood. + +For a green, take pink and verdigris, and grind them together in linseed +oil, as thin as you can well grind it: then lay it smoothly on with your +brush, and drive it thin; once doing, for the most part, will serve, if +you lay it well; and if twice, be sure your first colour be thoroughly +dry before you lay on a second. + +Well, Scholar, having now taught you to paint your rod, and we having +still a mile to Tottenham High-Cross, I will, as we walk towards it in +the cool shade of this sweet honeysuckle hedge, mention to you some of +the thoughts and joys that have possessed my soul since we two met +together. And these thoughts shall be told you, that you also may join +with me in thankfulness to the Giver of every good and perfect gift, for +our happiness. And that our present happiness may appear to be the +greater, and we the more thankful for it, I will beg you to consider +with me how many do, even at this very time, lie under the torment of +the stone, the gout, and tooth-ache; and this we are free from. And +every misery that I miss is a new mercy; and therefore let us be +thankful. There have been, since we met, others that have met disasters +or broken limbs; some have been blasted, others thunder-strucken: and we +have been freed from these, and all those many other miseries that +threaten human nature; let us therefore rejoice and be thankful. Nay, +which is a far greater mercy, we are free from the insupportable burthen +of an accusing tormenting conscience; a misery that none can bear: and +therefore let us praise Him for His preventing grace, and say, Every +misery that I miss is a new mercy. Nay, let me tell you, there be many +that have forty times our estates, that would give the greatest part of +it to be healthful and cheerful like us, who, with the expense of a +little money, have eat and drunk, and laughed, and angled, and sung, and +slept securely; and rose next day and cast away care, and sung, and +laughed, and angled again; which are blessings rich men cannot purchase +with all their money. Let me tell you, Scholar, I have a rich neighbour +that is always so busy that he has no leisure to laugh; the whole +business of his life is to get money, and more money, that he may still +get more and more money; he is still drudging on, and says, that Solomon +says "The diligent hand maketh rich"; and it is true indeed: but he +considers not that it is not in the power of riches to make a man happy; +for it was wisely said, by a man of great observation, "that there be as +many miseries beyond riches as on this side of them ". And yet God +deliver us from pinching poverty; and grant, that having a competency, +we may be content and thankful. Let not us repine, or so much as think +the gifts of God unequally dealt, if we see another abound with riches; +when, as God knows, the cares that are the keys that keep those riches +hang often so heavily at the rich man's girdle, that they clog him with +weary days and restless nights, even when others sleep quietly. We see +but the outside of the rich man's happiness: few consider him to be like +the silk-worm, that, when she seems to play, is, at the very same time, +spinning her own bowels, and consuming herself; and this many rich men +do, loading themselves with corroding cares, to keep what they have, +probably, unconscionably got. Let us, therefore, be thankful for health +and a competence; and above all, for a quiet conscience. + +Let me tell you, Scholar, that Diogenes walked on a day, with his +friend, to see a country fair; where he saw ribbons, and +looking-glasses, and nutcrackers, and fiddles, and hobby-horses, and +many other gimcracks; and, having observed them, and all the other +finnimbruns that make a complete country-fair, he said to his friend, +"Lord, how many things are there in this world of which Diogenes hath no +need!" And truly it is so, or might be so, with very many who vex and +toil themselves to get what they have no need of. Can any man charge +God, that He hath not given him enough to make his life happy? No, +doubtless; for nature is content with a little. And yet you shall hardly +meet with a man that complains not of some want; though he, indeed, +wants nothing but his will; it may be, nothing but his will of his poor +neighbour, for not worshipping, or not flattering him: and thus, when we +might be happy and quiet, we create trouble to ourselves. I have heard +of a man that was angry with himself because he was no taller; and of a +woman that broke her looking-glass because it would not shew her face to +be as young and handsome as her next neighbour's was. And I knew another +to whom God had given health and plenty; but a wife that nature had made +peevish, and her husband's riches had made purse-proud; and must, +because she was rich, and for no other virtue, sit in the highest pew in +the church; which being denied her, she engaged her husband into a +contention for it, and at last into a law-suit with a dogged neighbour +who was as rich as he, and had a wife as peevish and purse-proud as the +other: and this law-suit begot higher oppositions, and actionable words, +and more vexations and lawsuits; for you must remember that both were +rich, and must therefore have their wills. Well! this wilful, +purse-proud law-suit lasted during the life of the first husband; after +which his wife vext and chid, and chid and vext, till she also chid and +vext herself into her grave: and so the wealth of these poor rich people +was curst into a punishment, because they wanted meek and thankful +hearts; for those only can make us happy. I knew a man that had health +and riches; and several houses, all beautiful, and ready furnished; and +would often trouble himself and family to be removing from one house to +another: and being asked by a friend why he removed so often from one +house to another, replied, "It was to find content in some one of them". +But his friend, knowing his temper, told him, "If he would find content +in any of his houses, he must leave himself behind him; for content will +never dwell but in a meek and quiet soul". And this may appear, if we +read and consider what our Saviour says in St. Matthew's Gospel; for He +there says—"Blessed be the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy. +Blessed be the pure in heart, for they shall see God. Blessed be the +poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. And, "Blessed be the +meek, for they shall possess the earth." Not that the meek shall not +also obtain mercy, and see God, and be comforted, and at last come to +the kingdom of heaven: but in the meantime, he, and he only, possesses +the earth, as he goes towards that kingdom of heaven, by being humble +and cheerful, and content with what his good God had allotted him. He +has no turbulent, repining, vexatious thoughts that he deserves better; +nor is vext when he see others possess of more honour or more riches +than his wise God has allotted for his share: but he possesses what he +has with a meek and contented quietness, such a quietness as makes his +very dreams pleasing, both to God and himself. + +My honest Scholar, all this is told to incline you to thankfulness; and +to incline you the more, let me tell you, and though the prophet David +was guilty of murder and adultery, and many other of the most deadly +sins, yet he was said to be a man after God's own heart, because he +abounded more with thankfulness that any other that is mentioned in holy +scripture, as may appear in his book of Psalms; where there is such a +commixture, of his confessing of his sins and unworthiness, and such +thankfulness for God's pardon and mercies, as did make him to be +accounted, even by God himself, to be a man after his own heart: and let +us, in that, labour to be as like him as we can; let not the blessings +we receive daily from God make us not to value, or not praise Him, +because they be common; let us not forget to praise Him for the innocent +mirth and pleasure we have met with since we met together. What would a +blind man give to see the pleasant rivers, and meadows, and flowers, and +fountains, that we have met with since we met together? I have been +told, that if a man that was born blind could obtain to have his sight +for but only one hour during his whole life, and should, at the first +opening of his eyes, fix his sight upon the sun when it was in its full +glory, either at the rising or setting of it, he would be so transported +and amazed, and so admire the glory of it, that he would not willingly +turn his eyes from that first ravishing object, to behold all the other +various beauties this world could present to him. And this, and many +other like blessings, we enjoy daily. And for the most of them, because +they be so common, most men forget to pay their praises: but let not us; +because it is a sacrifice so pleasing to Him that made that sun and us, +and still protects us, and gives us flowers, and showers, and stomachs, +and meat, and content, and leisure to go a-fishing. + +Well, Scholar, I have almost tired myself, and, I fear, more than almost +tired you. But I now see Tottenham High-Cross; and our short walk +thither shall put a period to my too long discourse; in which my meaning +was, and is, to plant that in your mind with which I labour to possess +my own soul; that is, a meek and thankful heart. And to that end I have +shewed you, that riches without them, do not make any man happy. But let +me tell you, that riches with them remove many fears and cares. And +therefore my advice is, that you endeavour to be honestly rich, or +contentedly poor: but be sure that your riches be justly got, or you +spoil all. For it is well said by Caussin, "He that loses his +conscience has nothing left that is worth keeping". Therefore be sure +you look to that. And, in the next place, look to your health: and if +you have it, praise God, and value it next to a good conscience; for +health is the second blessing that we mortals are capable of; a blessing +that money cannot buy; and therefore value it, and be thankful for it. +As for money, which may be said to be the third blessing, neglect it +not: but note, that there is no necessity of being rich; for I told you, +there be as many miseries beyond riches as on this side them: and if you +have a competence, enjoy it with a meek, cheerful, thankful heart. I +will tell you, Scholar, I have heard a grave Divine say, that God has +two dwellings; one in heaven, and the other in a meek and thankful +heart; which Almighty God grant to me, and to my honest Scholar. And so +you are welcome to Tottenham High-Cross. + +Venator. Well, Master, I thank you for all your good directions; but for +none more than this last, of thankfulness, which I hope I shall never +forget. And pray let's now rest ourselves in this sweet shady arbour, +which nature herself has woven with her own fine fingers; 'tis such a +contexture of woodbines, sweetbriar, jasmine, and myrtle; and so +interwoven, as will secure us both from the sun's violent heat, and from +the approaching shower. And being set down, I will requite a part of +your courtesies with a bottle of sack, milk, oranges, and sugar, which, +all put together, make a drink like nectar; indeed, too good for any but +us Anglers, And so, Master, here is a full glass to you of that liquor: +and when you have pledged me, I will repeat the Verses which I promised +you: it is a Copy printed among some of Sir Henry Wotton's, and +doubtless made either by him, or by a lover of angling. Come, Master, +now drink a glass to me, and then I will pledge you, and fall to my +repetition; it is a description of such country recreations as I have +enjoyed since I had the happiness to fall into your company. + + Quivering fears, heart-tearing cares, + Anxious sighs, untimely tears, + Fly, fly to courts, + Fly to fond worldlings' sports, + Where strain'd sardonic smiles are glosing still, + And Grief is forc'd to laugh against her will: + Where mirth's but mummery, + And sorrows only real be. + + Fly from our country pastimes, fly, + Sad troops of human misery. + Come, serene looks, + Clear as the crystal brooks, + Or the pure azur'd heaven that smiles to see + The rich attendance of our poverty: + Peace and a secure mind, + Which all men seek, we only find. + + Abused mortals I did you know + Where joy, heart's-ease, and comforts grow, + You'd scorn proud towers, + And seek them in these bowers; + Where winds, sometimes, our woods perhaps may shake, + But blust'ring care could never tempest make, + Nor murmurs e'er come nigh us, + Saving of fountains that glide by us. + + Here's no fantastick mask, nor dance, + But of our kids that frisk and prance; + Nor wars are seen + Unless upon the green + Two harmless lambs are butting one the other, + Which done, both bleating run, each to his mother + And wounds are never found, + Save what the plough-share gives the ground. + + Here are no false entrapping baits, + To hasten too, too hasty Fates, + Unless it be + The fond credulity + Of silly fish, which worldling like, still look + Upon the bait, but never on the hook; + Nor envy, unless among + The birds, for prize of their sweet song. + + Go, let the diving negro seek + For gems, hid in some forlorn creek: + We all pearls scorn, + Save what the dewy morn + Congeals upon each little spire of grass, + Which careless shepherds beat down as they pass: + And gold ne'er here appears, + Save what the yellow Ceres bears, + + Blest silent groves, oh may ye be, + For ever, mirth's best nursery! + May pure contents + For ever pitch their tents + Upon these downs, these meads, these rocks, these mountains. + And peace still slumber by these purling fountains: + Which we may, every year, + Meet when we come a-fishing here. + +Piscator. Trust me, Scholar, I thank you heartily for these Verses: they +be choicely good, and doubtless made by a lover of angling. Come, now, +drink a glass to me, and I will requite you with another very good copy: +it is a farewell to the vanities of the world, and some say written by +Sir Harry Wotton, who I told you was an excellent angler. But let them +be writ by whom they will, he that writ them had a brave soul, and must +needs be possess with happy thoughts at the time of their composure. + + Farewell, ye gilded follies, pleasing troubles; + Farewell, ye honour'd rags, ye glorious bubbles; + Fame's but a hollow echo, Gold, pure clay; + Honour the darling but of one short day; + Beauty, th' eye's idol, but a damask'd skin; + State, but a golden prison, to live in + And torture free-born minds; embroider'd Trains, + Merely but pageants for proud swelling veins; + And Blood allied to greatness is alone + Inherited, not purchas'd, nor our own. + Fame, Honour, Beauty, State, Train, Blood and Birth, + Are but the fading blossoms of the earth. + + I would be great, but that the sun doth still + Level his rays against the rising hill: + I would be high, but see the proudest oak + Most subject to the rending thunder-stroke: + I would be rich, but see men, too unkind + Dig in the bowels of the richest mind: + I would be wise, but that I often see + The fox suspected, whilst the ass goes free: + I would be fair, but see the fair and proud, + Like the bright sun, oft setting in a cloud: + I would be poor, but know the humble grass + Still trampled on by each unworthy ass: + Rich, hated wise, suspected, scorn'd if poor; + Great, fear'd, fair, tempted, high, still envy'd more. + I have wish'd all, but now I wish for neither. + Great, high, rich, wise, nor fair: poor I'll be rather. + + Would the World now adopt me for her heir; + Would beauty's Queen entitle me the fair; + Fame speak me fortune's minion, could I "vie + Angels" with India with a speaking eye + Command bare heads, bow'd knees, strike justice dumb, + As well as blind and lame, or give a tongue + To stones by epitaphs, be call'd "great master" + In the loose rhymes of every poetaster? + Could I be more than any man that lives, + Great, fair, rich wise, all in superlatives; + Yet I more freely would these gifts resign + Than ever fortune would have made them mine. + And hold one minute of this holy leisure + Beyond the riches of this empty pleasure. + + Welcome, pure thoughts; welcome, ye silent groves; + These guests, these courts, my soul most dearly loves. + Now the wing'd people of the sky shall sing + My cheerful anthems to the gladsome spring: + A pray'r-book, now, shall be my looking-glass, + In which I will adore sweet virtue's face. + Here dwell no hateful looks, no palace cares, + No broken vows dwell here, nor pale-fac'd fears; + Then here I'll sit, and sigh my hot love's folly, + And learn t' affect an holy melancholy: + And if contentment be a stranger then, + I'll ne'er look for it, but in heaven, again. + +Venator. Well, Master, these verses be worthy to keep a room in every +man's memory. I thank you for them; and I thank you for your many +instructions, which, God willing, I will not forget. And as St. Austin, +in his Confessions, commemorates the kindness of his friend Verecundus, +for lending him and his companion a country house, because there they +rested and enjoyed themselves, free from the troubles of the world, so, +having had the like advantage, both by your conversation and the art you +have taught me, I ought ever to do the like; for, indeed, your company +and discourse have been so useful and pleasant, that, I may truly say, I +have only lived since I enjoyed them and turned angler, and not before. +Nevertheless, here I must part with you; here in this now sad place, +where I was so happy as first to meet you: but I shall long for the +ninth of May; for then I hope again to enjoy your beloved company, at +the appointed time and place. And now I wish for some somniferous +potion, that might force me to sleep away the intermitted time, which +will pass away with me as tediously as it does with men in sorrow; +nevertheless I will make it as short as I can, by my hopes and wishes: +and, my good Master, I will not forget the doctrine which you told me +Socrates taught his scholars, that they should not think to be honoured +so much for being philosophers, as to honour philosophy by their +virtuous lives. You advised me to the like concerning Angling, and I +will endeavour to do so; and to live like those many worthy men, of +which you made mention in the former part of your discourse. This is my +firm resolution. And as a pious man advised his friend, that, to beget +mortification, he should frequent churches, and view monuments, and +charnel-houses, and then and there consider how many dead bodies time +had piled up at the gates of death, so when I would beget content, and +increase confidence in the power, and wisdom, and providence of Almighty +God, I will walk the meadows, by some gliding stream, and there +contemplate the lilies that take no care, and those very many other +various little living creatures that are not only created, but fed, man +knows not how, by the goodness of the God of Nature, and therefore trust +in him. This is my purpose; and so, let everything that hath breath +praise the Lord: and let the blessing of St. Peter's Master be with +mine. + +Piscator. And upon all that are lovers of virtue; and dare trust in his +providence; and be quiet; and go a-Angling. + +"Study to be quiet." + + + + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Compleat Angler, by Izaak Walton + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE COMPLEAT ANGLER *** + +***** This file should be named 683-8.txt or 683-8.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/6/8/683/ + +Produced by Tokuya Matsumoto <toqyam@os.rim.or.jp> + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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