riuers and running waters are at more libertie then those which are closed in pondes and pits for those in running waters the water bringeth to them alwaies some what to féede on and there also the small fish doe nourish the great but the fish inclosed can get no such thing Therefore it shal be good to cast vnto them of small fish and of guts and garbage of fish and of beasts and figges cut small and nut curnels broosed or broosed wheate wormes graines of bruinges white bread all sortes of salt fishes cut and hackt in small péeces and such like If your fish nourish and fat not with these ye must féede them with the frettes or gubbins of market fish of the fishmongers if yet they be leane it shewes plaine they were taken from the seas which fish are raueners or they haue come from riuers nigh the seas but the fish in pondes are restraint from those liberties Therefore continually they must be fedde Of the taking of fish diuerse wayes THere is diuerse maner of wayes in taking fish in some places according to the Countrie and the nature of great waters is one and of riuers and pooles is an other where they inhabite so likewise is the diuersitie of the fish Also in fishing some manner of fishing is in the Seas an other manner is in swéete waters an other maner for great fish an other maner for yéeles other wayes for Roches and small fish an other way for the Carpe and such like Now séeing there is so many diuersities in taking fish it willl be hard to expresse and long to write Wherefore here I leaue that knowledge to those that vse to fish and sell in markets In speaking here in generall of the commodities for the father and his famelie in taking of fish for the common wealth whereof the principall maner is with nets weiles lines and hookes Thus I haue shewed of replenishing your pondes to haue plentie of fish and clensing your pondes from wéedes and a care for your emtie pondes and how to maintaine your pits and stues with fish Also to nourish the fish in your standing waters and declaring of diuers waies in taking of fish Thus much taken of Stephanus in French Pour Amorcer or gather Tortues TAke Salarmoniacke eight drams of Scalion Onions one dram the fat of veale ten drams So beate them together and being made in pellets like beanes cast them by their haunt to the Tortues and they will come themselues to the smell thereof and so ye may take them To make it drie TAke the lées of strong wine mixt with oyle and put it in a place where ye know it will drie let it so remaine till it waxe blacke and they will come to the place where the oile shall be put and so ye may take them Ye may take also Salarmoniack thirtéene drams and the butter of goates milke eight drams beate altogether and make small soft pellets thereof and therewith rubbe what graine or small lynséede not broken but dride and they will féede there all about and will not depart and straite way ye may so take them To take Loches or small fish TAke the branne of wheate meale two pound of lenten pease halfe a pound mixe them together and beate them with a sufficient quantitie of brine and put thereto halfe a pound of sessame Then shall ye part it in péeces and throw them here and there for as soone as ye haue thrown it in the water all the small fish will come vnto it and remaine in one place although they be 300. paces off Also ye may take the bloud of an Oxe Goate Shéepe or of a Hogge with the dung that is in the small guts of them Also of time peniryall léekes sauerie margerum garlick with the lées of good wine of each in like with the grease or marow of the saide beastes so much as ye séeme good beate them a part and then mixe them a like together and so make small pellets thereof and cast it where ye will haue the fish to come an houre before ye cast in your lines or else take the bloud of a blacke Goate the lées of good wine of barley meale all in like portion beate them all together with the lites of a Goate and then cut them in small péeces and make pellets thereof and so vse them as aboue sayde Another way TAke halfe a pound of garlick of burnt sessame as much of pouliot of organie of time great margerum of sauerie of wild stauisacre of ech two and thirtie drams of barley meale one pound of wheate as much and of the barke of a Frankinsence trée thirtéen drams worke all together with branne and cast it to the fish and they will assemble thereabout To take Perch THe Perch is not so easily taken with hooke nets or bownet but rather with proper baites made and vsed in a troubled water therefore ye must make baites with the liuer of a Goate and the snaile or take the yellow butter flie which flyeth of Goates whay called fromage de cheureau of each foure drams opopauicis two drams hogges bloud foure drams galbony foure drams beate all well together and sprincle it all ouer with pure wine and make thereof small pellets or as ye make perfumes and drie them in the shade To take the Samon as well in the Riuer as in the Sea TAke eight drams of Cockes stones and the curnels of pine apple trée burnt sixtéene drams beate all together a like till it be in maner of a meale Another Take the séedes of wilde Rue eight drams the fat of a veale eyght drams of Sessame thirtéene drams beate all together and make small loaues thereof and vse them as the other before mentioned Thus much more taken from Stephanus in French To take much fish by a light in the night YE shall distill in a lembeck of glasse a quantitie of glowormes that shineth in the night with a soft fire and put the distilled water into a thin viall of glasse and thereunto put foure ounces of quicksiluer that must be purged or past thorough leather or Kidde skinne Then stoppe the glasse that no water enter and tie it in the midst of your bow net for breaking and so cast it in the water and the fish will soone come vnto the light and couet to enter into the net and so ye shall take many And some doth suppose if ye doe but take a certaine of those glo-wormes and put them in a thinne viole or glasse and then stoppe it close and tie it in the net they will shine as well and giue as much light But then I doubt they will not long be aliue without meate except ye put herbes vnto them in the day and let them féede and vse them in the night as before So yée may reserue them for your purpose I thinke a long time To take Yeeles in the winter in haye or strawe bottles YE shall make long fagots of hay wrapt about
A Booke of fishing with Hooke Line and of all other instruments thereunto belonging Another of sundrie Engines and Trappes to take Polcats Buzards Rattes Mice and all other kindes of Vermine Beasts whatsoeuer most profitable for all Warriners and such as delight in this kinde of sport and pastime Made by L. M. LONDON Printed by Iohn Wolfe and are to be solde by Edwarde White dwelling at the little North doore of Paules at the signe of the Gunne First the knowledge of angling with the Hooke and Lyne HEre will I declare briefly vnto you how to angle with the hooke lyne in what times best and in what places of the water to take fish First in standing pooles ye shall angle where the water is somthing déepe There is no great choise of any place where it is any thing déepe either in poole or other standing water but in a riuer ye shall angle best where it is déepe and cleare by the ground being grauell or clay without any mudde or wéedes and in whirling waters or in a couert as vnder a hollow banke or rootes of trées or long wéedes floting aboue on the water all these places are troublesome also it is good angling in déepe stiffe streames or in falles of waters and weares and in fludde gates and mill pooles and it is good whereas the water resteth by the banke or where the streame runneth nigh thereabout being déepe and cleare by the ground or any other place where ye may sée any fishhoue aboue in the water or hath any other féeding place to resort or on that side the water where the winde hath no great power What times best to angle HEre shall ye vnderstand what time of the day is best to angle from the beginning of May vnto the moneth of September fish will byte The best angling to take fish is earely in the morning from foure of the clock vntil it it be eight a clocke other be méetly but not so good as in the morning also the euenings be indifferent good to angle if it be some what calme withall or els not good the winde blowing from the South or West Also if it be a cold whistling winde in a darke lowring day for the darke louring weather is much better to angle in then in a cleare sunny day and from the beginning of September vnto the end of Aprill ye shall spare no time of the day to angle and likewise many poole fish will byte best in the mid day about noone If ye shall sée any time of the day the Troute or Grayling leape ye may then angle to him a double worme according to the same month and if the water doth ebbe and flow the fish in some place will byte best at the ebbe and in some places at the floud according to the places of rest as behind pillers and arches of bridges or such like suckering places in the most quiet water In what wether to angle in HEre ye shall vnderstand in what wether ye shall best angle as aforesaide in the darke louring day when the winde bloweth southly from the South or West in the Summer season when the sunne is very hoie it is then naught to angle but from September vnto Aprill it is then good in a faire sunny day the winde being then good if it haue any part of the Orient or East it is then naught to angle for they will not byte or when it is a great winde snow raine or haile or in a great tempest of thunder or lightening for it feareth them or els in a swooly hote wether all these times are not good to angle for to take fish Of twelue lets in taking fish YE shall here vnderstand there be twelue manner of impediments or lets which causeth a man to take no fish without other cunning that may happe by casualtie The first is if your harnesse or lynes be not fitly made the second is if your baites be not good nor fine the third is when that ye angle not in the byting time the fourth is if that your fish be fearefull of the sight of man the fift is if the water be very thicke white or redde by any floud late falen the sixt is if the fish for colde doe not stirre abroade the seuenth is if the wether then be too hote the eight is if it be in rainy wether the nynth is if then haile or snow do fall the tenth is if it be in any tempest the eleuenth is if then it be a great winde the twelfth is if the winde blow from the East for that is worst and commonly neither winter nor summer the fish will then byte the West and North windes be good but the South winde best of all To take the Salmon THe Salmon is a gentle fish but he is cumbrous to take for commonly he is but in déepe places of great riuers and commonly in the middest of the riuer he is in season from March vnto Michaelmasse and ye shall angle to him with a red worme from the beginning to the ending and with the bobbe worme that bréedeth in the dughill also there is a soueraigne baite that bréedeth on the water docke the Salmon byteth not at the ground but at the flote or aboue ye may also take him with the dubbe worme at such time when he leapeth but it hath seldom séene and ye shall take him in like manner as ye doe take the Trout or Grayling or the Dace For the Troute THe Troute is in season from March vnto Michaelmasse he vseth commonly a cleane grauely ground and in a streame ye may angle to him at all times with a ground lyne lying or runniug sauing in the leaping time then with the dubbe flye and earely in the morning with a running ground lyne and further in the day with the flote lyne Also yce may angle to him in March with a Menowe hanged on your hooke by the nether parte without anye flote or plumbe drawing it vppe and downe in the streame till ye féele him fast but if ye angle to him with the flye ye shall strike when he is a foote and more from your baite for the commeth so fast ye may in the same time angle to him with a ground lyne and bayted with a red worme for that is a good sure baite and is most vsed Also in March Aprill May September and October take the Menow on your hooke in December Ianuarie and Februarie drag with the bobworme at the ground in Iune Iuly and August fish with made flyes on your hooke on the vpper parte of the water for that is a sure baite and is most vsed In Aprill take the red worme and also of Iuneba otherwise called seuen eyes or the great canker worme that bréedeth in the barke of a great trée and the red snaile In May take the stone flye or Caddis worme and the bobbe worme vnder the Cowtorde also ye may take the silke worme and the baite that bréedeth on
which proch is wier whipt on a packethreedes ende and couered with a great worme and therewith proch into the saide holes as by example for the better vnderstanding â—o here may you see the figures The proch vnbaited The rod bayted with a worme As soone as ye féele she hath the baite plucke away your rodde for it doth nothing but guide your proch into the holes and then draw softly your packthreed line and hold a while and he will yéelde if you do plucke hastely he will holde so stiffe ye shall breake your line or teare his mouth therefore holde hard still and at length he will yeelde and come foorth And where ye shall see any hole in the buttome of a brooke or riuer there is like to lie an yee le put there in your proch and he will soone byte if he be there Thus much for the order of the proch hooke to take the Yee le The manner of laying of hookes THere is also a kind of laying of hookes armed for pikes in pooles and riuers ye shall bâ—yte them as ye bayte the hooke in dragging for the Pyke and here is to be noted of two maner of layings of hookes the one way is to the bottome of the water without corke and the other is with the flote or corke to cast in your bayted hooke without a corke it will sinke to the bottome and then the yée le will haue it as soone as the Pyke and if he cannot swallow it he will byte away the baite by little and little therefore to lay from the bottome is best for the Pyke ye shal cast your bayted hooke and line with a corke of what depth ye lust for so it will not sinke to the bottome Also to lay for the yéeles ye shall baite your hookes with menowes gogins or loches great wormes and such like And to sticke pooles in the bankes with lines at the endes so that your baites may lie on the bottome of the water for there the yée le will soonest take it but lay not nigh roots of trées or such for they will wrappe them so ye shall neuer come by them Also let your lines be of good great packthréeke sticking the saide poles or pinnes of wood in the bankes and your lines to be of two or thrée fatham some more some lesse for your proch hooke to baite him with the great worme or the menowe is best or with a Loch or small Gogin so if a great yée le come he will swallowe it hole Thus much for laying of hookes for the Pyke and Yée le Also to take yéeles in winter some haue vsed to lay in pondes and running waters faggots of hay with a bough of Willow put in the middest and bayted with some garbage of foule or beastes bound with two bondes and to plucke it vp after it hath lame two or thrée daies with hooke or corde and you shall haue yéeles therein when it is a lande do but crush it with your foote and the yéeles will come out if there be any If ye lay it in the middest of a riuer you may plucke it into your boate Thus you may take many yéeles in winter Here is how to saue and preserue fish FOr so much as I haue afore shewed certaine waies and practises how to take fish in riuers pooles and standing waters I will here declare certaine waies how for to maintaine fish and the chiefest waies to saue and preserue them in riuers pooles and standing waters against such deuourers and rauerers as hath and will destroy them as Herne the Dobchicke the Coote the Cormorant the Sea-pie the Kings fisher and such like as also the Otter who is a common destroter of pondes and standing waters and a great deuourer of and spoyler of riuers brookes and running waters which shall be declared in their places The Herne And first to take the Hearne which destroyes much young fish or other if they come nigh the shallowe places or bankes the Hearne is fearefull and subtill for to take therefore some do bayte a hooke or proch hooke with a Menow or other small fish or with the gobbet of some Yee le then make your line gréene or like the water where she hauntes in a shallow place or other where she resorts there put in your pinne in the earth of the shallow water and lay your baite so that she may wade halfe a féete déepe vnto it for else the Kite or Crow will soone haue it for shee will soone swallow it and so be taken The Otter They take the Otter or water Wolfe in a we le made and deuised for the nonce as shall be shewed in his place which wele is not made in all points like vnto other weles where he will eate the fish and come foorth againe safe before he be drowned Therefore there is inuented among the fisher men a we le for to take him made with a double teme or tonuell and against the vtmost teme within is set an yeirne like a gredyeirne with foure hooles staying and sliding vpon two round stickes which must be set vpright in the we le before the teme to holde vp the yeirne which two stickes must be fast bound to the we le both aboue and beneath then must ye haue a good stiffe rod the one ende shall be set ouer the we le to hold vp the gredyeirne or grate and the other ende of the rodde must reach ouer the inner teme and a small oziar tied at that end of the rodde which small Oziar must be made with a round knot and so put downe vpon the ende of the nethermost Oziar in the midst of the inner teme but a very litle way put on that when the Otter is within the first teme he comes to the second where the fish is and there he puts off the Oziar and the rodde flirtes vp and the gredyerne falles and stoppes the vtmost teme where he came in and as soone as he heares it fall he will turne backe without touching any fish gnawing at the gredyerne where hee came in and so is drowned And when ye haue a wele of fish robbed with the Otter or your layer of weles with fish spoyled and robbed with the Otter there lay your Otter We le well bayted with fish and so ye shall soone take him Which Otter We le must be made of good round Ozyars of the Hasell rodde or gore rodde for those are the best These Otter Weles are made at Twyford by sides Reading There be two of the Gootheriches which liues much by making of such and other weles Also the Otter wele is made at Dorney by Windsor of one called Twiner If your Otter we le be olde and not strong and if the Otter chaunce to breake it and scape ye shall hardly take him of a long time after for he is very subtill to be caught againe in such a we le There be that hath prouided many wayes ere they could take him
the bayte in his féete and the other takes it in their billes Thus much here for the taking of the Sea-pie Here shall follow the knowledge how to replenish your fish pondes FOr to saue and maintaine in mayers pooles and standing waters for such as haue not riuers it shall be good to saue kéepe and maintaine all such fish as may be nourished and bred in fresh waters as Pyke Breame Tench Prch Troute Darce Roch such like and the Carpe for one of the best which hath not béene here in Englande but of fewe yeares past The Trout will not like but in running and swift waters and hard grauell at the bottom The slymie fish is the Tench the Seacod and the Yée le and yet they are coÌ„mended for a good féeding meat for man but many will disdaine the fresh yée le and estéeme it as a flaggie and slymie meate saying he will gender with the water snake which thing possible may be but the yée le of the fresh riuer is tryed a good and holsome meate you shall haue also the Lampre and the Lamporne which are called venemous fish of the Sea but when they haue scraped and clensed them in the fresh running waters Notwithstanding they are then good and holesome meat The excrements of standing pooles are frogges which in many places being well drest they eate like fish and is calde a kinde of fish and doe taste as well as a young poullet for I tasted my part of many It is a good thing to haue plentie of fresh water fish in riuers and pooles and standing waters and a great pleasure for man sometimes to take with his angle a dish of fish in those waters whereas fish is plentie and well preserued not to vse any other engins but with the hooke and by such meanes as the lawes of this realme doth permit and allow not to vse fire handguns crossebowes oyles ointments pouders and pellets made to cast in the waters to stonny and poyson the fish nor yet to vse all sortes of nets and such as are deuourers of fish as bow nets casting nets small trammels shoue nets and draught nets which are destroyers of fish before they are growen to any bignesse These are not méete to be vsed but of certaine Gentlemen in their seuerall waters I would wish no running waters should be let to any fisher man without order what mesh what nets he or they shall vse to fish with and in what moneths of the yeare to refraine fishing vpon paine to forfaite his lease and all such engins Also it shall be good for all Gentlemen and others hauing the gouernment of any riuers brookes or standing pooles to replenish them with all such kinde of fish as may there be preserued or bred aswell of straying as others There is a kinde of fish in Holand in the fennes besides Peterborrow which they call a poult they be like in making and greatnesse to the Whiting but of the cullour of the Loch they come foorth of the fenne brookes into the riuers nigh there about as in Wansworth riuer there are many of them They stirre not all the sommer but in winter when it is most coldest weather There they are taken at Milles in Welles and at wayers likewise They are a pleasant meate and some do thinke they would be aswell in other riuers running waters as Huntington Ware and such like if those waters were replenished with them as they may be with small charge They haue such plentie in the fenne brookes they féede their hogges with them If other riuers were stored with them it would be good for a common wealth as the Carpe wich came of late yeares into England Thus much for the fenne pult Of clensing your pondes from weedes IF you will haue profite of your fish in your pondes and pooles ye must haue a care alwayes to clense them from thrée yeare to thrée yeare in taking away all wéedes rushes and flagges for they doe greatly stuffe and trouble the fish and makes them to be more slymie and of a worser taste Likewise ye must sée alwayes for Otters and Water-rats haunting your pondes and pooles yee shall best know if there be any in the night season for then they hunt abroad for fish then séeke to take them by such means as afore mentioned which else they will soone destroy all your fish Also it is not good to suffer any to shute with guns nie your ponds or riuers for it feares and astonish the fish greatly and worst of all in spawning tune and many will die â—â—ereof ye may watch the haunt of the Otter and Ratte and strike them if yee can with the trowte speare which is a very good thing to kill them if it be well done for so many haue béene kilde Here shall be shewed a care of lauing your pondes in sauing the water where it is scant for to saue your fish aliue IN lauing your pondes and pooles the greatest care is if there be any scant of water to kéepe and bestow it so that the water which is cast foorth may remaine nie the sides of your pondes and pooles that ye may recouer it soone againe to saue the rest of your fish while ye clense forth the wéedes and mudde which will let the water to come quickly to the scoopes Therefore it shall be best to clense the sides and bankes first of all in hauing all such tooles readie as shall be néedefull thereunto as mattockes spades shoules scauelts scoopes and such like to dispatch it as quickly as ye can And when the water is lower then the Rat-hole in the bankes ye may set such engins afore their holes to kill them at their comming out as aforesaide for they will lye alwaies in the holes aboue the water to smother them in their holes ye shall hardly doe if ye then let them scape they will soone conuay them selues away in the night or before night and will runne very swift Thus much for lauing your pondes There is also a care alwayes to maintaine your pits and stuis with fish HOw your pits and stuis should bee vsed to kéepe fish in your stues and pits ought to bee oft renued and helpt with great and small fish from time to time and refreshed often with small fish among for if ye doe alwaies take and none put to your store shall soone decrease It shall be good also to put carefully your fish therein both small and great and sée that none be hurt if ye may to put 〈◊〉 Tench with them it shall do well And it shall be very good husbandrie to pricke and set about the handes of willow sallo or alder which will be good to defend the heate in sommer from your fish and to auoide the colde in winter but the falling of leaues will increase mudde greatly and also stinch your pondes How to nourish your fish in pooles mayers and standing waters IT is most certaine the fish which is in
There is also prohibited that no fish shall be taken and solde in markets which are out of their season as the Lampre and Lampornes which are venemous in the Sea before they be scoured in fresh water and not in season from mid March to mid September for they will being out of season looke russet and speckled vpon their bellies Also Oysters and Muskles are not good from mid March to mid September and likewise Salmons and Trowtes are in season from mid March to mid September and after waxe out of season Smelts not in season from mid March to mid September or after Cockles and such are not kindly but in the monethes of March Aprill and May all the rest of the yeare not holesome to be eaten or solde Moreouer Darce Roch Perch and such like are not kindly to be kilde from mid March to the end of May for in these times they doe cast their spawne and then they will be rough and broken scaled and pilde for a while after they haue so cast their spawne And being then out of season they are not so holesome nor yet good of liking All these afore mentioned with all other which are out of season are forbid to be taken and solde in markets or otherwise priuely eaten vpon the like penaltie afore mentioned I would to God it were so here with vs in England and to haue more preseruers and lesse spoylers of fish out of season and in season then we should haue more plentie then we haue through this Realme Also I would wish that all stoppe nets and drags with casting nets were banished in all common riuers through this Realme for thrée moneths as in March Aprill and May wherein they take fish out of season as well as others with great spoyles of spawne both of great and small fish for they vse such nets with small mesh that kils all fish afore they come to any growth and good seruice for the common wealth Who so euer doe preuent such they shall doe good to the common wealth And water Bayles which are appointed to sée soo such nets in riuers and running streames which is thought they neglect their duties for they let the fisher men vse what nets they list as the voyce goes and Gentlemen which owes the waters lets them also alone and the fisher men they say they pay such rents they must take what they can so herein are none yâ— cares for the preseruing of the common wealth whereby fish cannot increase nor yet suffer to growe So I leaue wishing that carefull men were put in office and such as fauours the common wealth and all other put out that séekes for their owne profite onely Then should wee haue within fewe yeares much plentie of all riuer fish and also a great sparing to flesh if they would vse fish as they were woont on Frydayes Saterdayes and fasting dayes commanded by our Prince and so truely kept of all people from time to time The breeding of Creuis THe fresh water Creuis commonly liues and lyes in bankes and holes in riuers and brookes and they are a holesome fish for all sickne and weake persons They will east their spawne in the spring about the moneth of May and will shed it on stones wéedes in the bottome whereof most is eaten vp with yéeles and water rats as some do suppose Therefore it were not vnméete to make fagots of hole strawe to saue the spawne as aforesaide Also they will soone be driuen with flouds downe the streame in few yeares they will greatly increase if they be not taken with mens handes and kild with Rats for they will lie in holes and vnder stones and wéedes and so are soone taken for they cannot flie fast away If they be taken in May it will be a great spoyle of their increase for commonly then they doe shed their spawne The Water rat is also a great deuourer of them lying in holes and whereas many rats are they cannot lightly prosper or increase there Thus much for the fresh water Creauis Yée may store any brooke or riuer with the Creuis but especially he loues the sandie and grauely running waters The Kinges fisher THere is a bird which is a great destroyer of all young fry and small fish and he is called the Kinges fisher he is about the bignesse of a Larke and doth commonly bréede in bankes sides of riues and brookes in the spring of the yeare his feathers are gréene and blewe and he will alwayes haunt about the sides of riuers and brookes whereas small fish is and as soone as he hath caught a fish he will straight way 〈◊〉 to the next bough and there will sit on a twigge and eate the fish and so fetch an other Thus he liueth by the deuouring of all sortes of small frie such as he may take and carrie away For to take this birde they vse to marke where his haunt is and there they set downe a bush or branch and they put a limed twigge vnder the saide bush or branch for so soone as he hath taken a fish he will flie to the next bush and light on that vnder twigge lymed and so they take him Also they say this bird being dead if he be hanged vp by the bill with a thréed in your house where no winde bloweth his brest will alway hang against the winde whereby ye may knowe perfectly in what qnarter the winde is at all times both night and day Thus much of the bird called the Kings fisher The Cormarant THe Cormarant is also a great destroyer of fish hee vseth the fresh waters and will diue vnder the water and will take and eate fish of thrée foure yeares growth How to take or destroy them I know not well otherwise then to destroy their nests in bréeding time whereas they bréede in Ilands and rockes by the sea some may be destroyed in riuers and pooles with crossebow or handgun other wayes I haue not knowen or heard of not with lime lines except it be in the night and then they will pike them soone cleane againe The Dobchicke THe Dobchicke is likewise a water fowle and they will be alwayes commonly on riuers and pooles and they are nigh as great as the Teales and are of cullour blacke and they will commonly diue vnder the water to take young fish as I haue séene in riuers brookes Howe for to take them the fisher men some doe vse to lay on the water long lines of small thréede knit full of little corkes a handfull a sunder on the line and cut foure square like bigge dice and so limed and fold on aracle as I shall shewe hereafter and where they sée them haunt they will spread the saide line afore them on the water and then with their boats driue them to the sayd line and so many are taken Thus much for taking the Dobchickes This raâ—le turnes round of the middle staffe and as ye sée the thréede limed with small corkes
a Fearne leafe In Iune take the red worme and nippe of his head and put it on your hooke and a codworme before In Iuly take the great red worme and the codworme together In August take the flesh flye and the great red worme and the fat of bacon and binde it about your hooke In September take the red worme and the menow In October take the same for they are speciall good for the Troute in all times of the yeare from April vnto September the Trout leapeth then angle to him with a dubbed or armed hooke according to the saide monethes for hee is strong in the water For the Grayling THe Grayling otherwise named Vmbre ye may angle for him as ye doe for the Troute and these are commonly his baites in March and in Aprill ye shall take the red worme in May yee shall take the gréene worme and asurall grayled worme and the Docke canker and the worme on the hawthorne in Iune the baite that bréedeth betwéene the barke and the trée of the Oke in Iuly the baite that bréedeth on the Fearne leafe and the great red worme and nippe of his head and put it on your hooke with the Codworme before in August the red worme and the docke worme and all the yeare after vse chiefly the red worme For the Barbyll THe Barbell is a subtill and a straunge fish to take and very daintie to take his baite these are commonly his baytes in March and in Aprill ye shall angle to him with fresh chéese laide on a borde and so cut it in small péeces square the length of your hooke then take a candle and burne it or smeare it on the end at the point of your hooke tillit looke yelow then binde it on your hooke with Fletchers silke and make it rough like a welbede worme and this is verie good for all somer season but in May and Iune ye shall take the Hawthorne worme and the great redde worme before in Iuly the red worme for a chéefe baite and the Hawthorne worme together and also the worme that bréedeth in the water dog leafe and the yong Hornet worme together in Angust and for all the yeare take the tallow of a shéepe and soft chéese of each alike and grinde or scrape them well and small together till it waxe fine and tough then put a little wheate flower and make it into little pellets and this is a good baite to angle at the bottom and sée that it doe sinke alone in the water or els it is not good for this purpose The Carpe THe Carpe also is a straunge and daintie fish to take his baites are not well knowne for he hath not long béene in this realme The first bringer of them into England as I haue béene credibly enformed was maister Mascoll of Plumsted in Sussex who also brought first the planting of the Pippin in England but now many places are replenished with Carpes both in poundes and riuers and because not knowing well his chéefe baites in each moueth I will write the lesse of him he is a straunge fish in the water and very straunge to byte but at certaine times to wit at foure a clocke in the morning and eight at night be his chiefe byting times and he is so strong enarmed in the mouth that no weake harnesse will hold him and his byting is very tickle but as touching his baytes hauing small knowledge by experience I am loth to write more then I know and haue prooued But well I wote the red worme and the Menow bee good baites for him in all times of the yeare and in Iune with the cadys or water worme in Iuly and in August with the Maggot or gentyll and with the coale worme also with paste made with hony and wheate flower but in Automne with the redde worme is best and also the Grashopper with his legs cut off which he wil take in the morning or the whites of hard egges stéeped in tarte ale or the white snaile The Cheuyn THe Cheuyn is also a warie fish to take and very fearefull In March he will byte at the redde worme at the ground for commonly he will byte at the ground and somewhat déepe at all times of the yeare in Aprill the cadyee or ditch canker and the canker that bréedeth in the barke of a trée and the worme that bréedeth betwéene the barke and the Oke trée also the red worme and the young frogge his legges and féetè cut off also the stone Cadyce flye and the bobbe worme vnder the cowturd likewise the redde snaile in May the baite that bréedeth on the Ozyar leafe and the docke canker together put vpon your hooke and the baite that bréedeth on the ferne leafe also the eodde worme and a baite that bréedeth on the hawthorne and the worme that bréedeth on the oke leafe and also the silke worme and the coddeworme together in Iune take then the Crekets and the Dor flye and also the red worme the eade cut off and a codde worme before also the worme in the Oziar leafe and young frogges the féete cut off by the body or by the knée also the baite on the hawthorne and the codworme together and the dunghill grubbe or worme and a great Grashopper in Iuly the Grashopper and the humble Bée in the medow the waterest also young wasps and white young Hornets taken in their combes and the greate branded flye that bréedeth in pathes of medowes and the flying Pysmyars which be in the pismyar hilles in August take the Colewort worme and the Gentyll or Magot vntill Michaclmasse and in September take then the red worme and these baites when ye may get them which is Cheries young Myse not haired and the sow worme that bréedeth in postes of the house The Breame THe Breame is a noble fish counted and a daintie he is good to take he is a strong fish in the water ye shall angle to him from March vnto August with the redde worme and then with the Butterflye and the gréene flye and also with the baite that bréedeth among gréene réede and a worme that bréedeth in the barke of a dead trée and to take young Bremets take the Gentils or Maggots and from August all the yeare after yee shall take the red worme and if ye angle for him in the riuer ye shall then take of browne bread for that is good yet some doe vse in Aprill and May the worme that bréedeth on the Elme and willow and chewed bread is very good and all other baites vsed for the Cheuyn but specially young waspes The Tench THe Tench is a fish that féedeth at the bottom and most parte of the yeare among the mudde and most he stirreth in the monethes of Iune and Iuly and in other times of the yeare but little the Tench is an euill byter and very subtill to take with the angle his common baites are these for all the yeare they take browne bread tosted and smeared with
the feathers of the winges of the drake with the feathers of the red capons taile or hakell The yellow Fly 5 The yellow Fly in May is good the body made of yellow wooll and the winges made of the redde cockes hackell or taile and of the drake littid or coulered yellow The blacke Fly 6 The blacke Fly or lowper in May the body is made of blacke wooll and lapt about with the herle of the peacockes taile the winges are made of the winges of a browne capon with his blew feathers in the head The sad yellow Fly 7 The sad yellow Fly in Iune the body is made of blacke wooll with a yellow liste of either side the wings taken of the winges of the bozard bound with blacke bracked hempe The More Fly 8 The moorerish Fly is also good made with the body of duskish wooll and the winges made of the blackishe male of the drake The tawny Fly 9 The tawny Fly is good at Sainct Willams day or vnto midde Iune the body is made of tawny wooll and the winges made contrary one against the other made of the whitishe maile of the wilde drake The waspe Fly 10 The waspe Fly in Iuly the body is made of black wooll and lapped about with yellowe thréede the wings are made of the feathers of the bozard The shell Fly 11 The shell Fly is good at Saint Thomas day or midde Iuly the body is made of gréene wooll and lapped about with the herell of the peacocks taile and the winges made of the winges of a bozard The darke or drake Fly 12. The darke drake Fly in August is good the body is made of blacke wooll and lapped about with blacke silke his winges are made of the maile of the black drake with a blacke head Thus are they made vpon the hooke lapt about with some corke like each Fly afore mentioned Here followeth how to couller your lines to angle with NOw to learne how to couler your lines of heare according to the couler of each water and season in this wise first yée shall take the haire of a white horse taile the longest and strongest yée can get the rounder haire the better it is Then yée shall deuide it sixe partes and yée shall couler each part by him selfe as yellow gréene brown tawny russet and the duske couler And to make a good gréene take a quart of small ale and put it into a panne and put thereto halfe a pound of Alum and so put therein your haire and let it boile softly halfe a hower then take forth the haire and let it drie Then take a pottel of water and put it in a panne and put therein too hand full of Mary golds or of wixen and then pressè it with a tile stone and so let it boile softly halfe an hower and when the scum is yellow then put in your haire with halfe a pounde of coperes beaten into fine pouder and so let it boile the space of halfe a mile way then take it downe and let it kéele the space of fiue or sixe howers and so take forth your hair and drie it which wil be the finest gréene for the water also the more of coperas yée doe put in it the gréener it wil be or ye may put in steed of it of verdigrece Another kinde to make another gréene as thus ye shal put your haire vnto a wood fatte of plunket couler and it wil be a light couler and to make it plunket couler then ye shall séeth it in goldes or wixen like as I haue aforesaide vnto this couler ye shall not put coperas nor verdegrece for it will doe better without To make yellow haire FOr to make yellowe haire ye shall séeth it with alum as I haue afore shewed and after that with goldes or wixen without coperas or verdegrece Also another yellow ye shall make thus Take a pottell of small ale and stampe there in thrée handfull of gréene walenut leaues so put them together and lay your haire therein so long till yée haue it so déepe couler as you desire To make a russet FOr to make your haire russet yee shall take a pinte of strong lie and halfe a pound of soote with a little of the iuice of walnut leaues and a quantitie of alum then boile them well altogether in a panne then take it off and when it is colde put therein your haire and so let it lie till it be a darke couler so as ye will haue it To make a browne couler FOr to make your browue couler ye shall take a pound of soote and séeth it in a quart of ale and with so many of walnut leaues as ye shall thinke good and when they shall waxe blacke take it off the fire and put therein your haire and so let it lie still therein till it be as browne as yée will haue it Also another browne couler take of strong ale and soote and temper them altogether and therein put your haire and let it remaine so the space of two daies and two nights and it wil be well To make a tawny haire FOr to make your haire a tawny couler ye shall take a quantity of lime with the like of water and so put them together and put your haire therein and let it rest foure or fiue howers then take it out and put it in tannars ouse for a day and it wil be well Also ye shall kéepe the first part of your haire white stil for your lines to be reserued for the dubbid hooke to fish for the troute and grailing and also to make small lines to angle for the roche and the darce and such Lines fit for each water HEre ye shall know in what water to angle for which season of the yeare your coulered lines will best serue The gréene colered line will serue in all cleere waters from Aprill vnto September The yellow line is good to angle in euery water which is cleare frō September vnto Nouember for it wil be like the wéedes other withered grasse which is in the water The russet line is best to angle withall in winter and serueth best all the winter vnto the end of Aprill as well in riuers as standing pooles The browne coulered line to angle withall serueth for any water that is blacke or of dedish couler be it in riuers or standing waters Anglers and fishers THe tawny coulered line to angle withal serueth best for those waters that are heathy or moorish couler Thus much for your lines and cullers practised according to the couler of waters wishing that all anglers would not angle in vnseasonable times as from midde March to mid May for then is the chiefest spawning time and increase of fishe A great number there is in this realm which gouerns waters that spares no time to kill nor cares for no time to saue but takes at all times which maketh freshe fishe so deare and so scant in riuers and runiung
willow boughes which ye shall put in the midst of your bottle or faggot of hay and then sinke it in the déepe by the banke and so let it lie two or thrée dayes and tie a wythe or rope thereunto that ye may soone plucke it vp on land or boate and so ye shall take yéeles therein good store in a colde weather very good And if ye baite or lay in your fagotte guttes or garbedge of a beast yee shall be the more certaine to haue them in a small time How to breede and increase yeeles in riuers pondes and standing waters THe common saying among fisher men is if ye wil haue in your pits and pondes being of a swéete water great plentie of Yéeles in few yeares ye shall digge two round or square turfes or so many as ye will haue and cut them on a swéete ground a short grasse a foote or more round or square turfes whereon the dewe shewes most in the morning before the sunne doe rise Then take them vp and clappe the gréene sides together one vpon another and pin them fast together with prickes of wood Then carrie and lay them softly in what pit or pond ye list and ye shall sée experience This is to be done in the moneth of May by the dew then on the ground and at no other time else of the yeare to be good The Gase for to catch Menowes THis Gase is a round net of small mesh with a hoope of yeirne or great wier halfe an intch about and to let sinke in a ditch or brooke which is not déepe and so holde it a while by thrée strings like a ballans with a loope in the toppe and therein to put through a staffe or poale and yée shall haue within a while so many Menowes which will come and gase at it as will couer it ye must hang a small plommet in the middest to make it sinke And also the roundes must be flat oyster shelles tyde to and the squares must be scarlet or red cloth sowed on your hoope and net may be thrée quarters and a halfe of a yeard broad from side to side Thus much for the Gase How to bobbe for yeeles THere is also a taking of yéeles with great wormes drawen through on a long thréede one by an other and then feulded vp thrée fingers déepe and then tyde aboue all together and a bigge string tide thereunto and fastened bnto a short poale which ye shall holde in your hand This is vsed to bobbe at the comming of a floud water and at the ebbing water of any water that ebbes and flowes Also it is vsed after a great raine in brookes and running waters ye must let your bobbe touch the bottome and so vp with it softly againe and so vse it still and ye shall féele when any yée le doe bite then pluck it vp not very fast for then he will forsake the worme he hath hold of and as soone as he féeles the ayre he will léese his holde therefore yée must haue a vessell on the water alwaies readie that hée may fall therein Thus much for the bobbing for yéeles The yee le speare to take yeeles The Otter Speare THe Yée le speare is made with fiue thinne barres cut in the sides with téeth to holde that yée le that is within them and made with thicker and rounder plates aboue toward the socket which socket must be made strong and therein put your poale or staffe which they vse in mudde riuers and brookes to take a dish of yéeles at pleasure but it is euill to vse the yée le speare whereas there is Teech or Carpe for they will commonly lie in the mudde when the water is beaten or troubled and thereby they may soone be striken and die thereof The Otter speare is vsed when a man hunteth the Otter in riuers or brookes when as a man shall chance to sée him vent aboue the water then to throw the speare at him which speare hath a line tide at the ende and a small boxe fastened at the end of the line that when yee haue stricken him ye shall the sooner perceiue him where he diueth in the riuer Or if ye chaunce to finde him lying out of the water there to strike him and let him go into the water and so kill him To breede Millars-thumbes and Loches in shallow brookes or riuers THe fishes called Loches and the other called Millars-thumbes or Culles they alwayes féede in the bottome of brookes and riuers They are fish holesome to be eaten of féeble persons hauing an ague or other sicknesse These fish delight to be in sandie grauell in riuers and brookes and they are very easie to be taken with small trauell in remouing the stones where they lie vnder for they cannot swim fast away Therefore in certaine shallow riuers brookes they do vse to bréede and saue them ye may in laying round heapes of pebble stones or flint in shallow places of the saide riuers and brookes halfe a foote déepe of water or lesse Like as there is a shallow riuer running from Bareamstede to Chestum and so to Chaue also by Croyden and other places wherein they might bréede of the saide fish great store if they were so giuen The like riuer runnes in Hampeshiere by sides Altum increasing by diuerse springes and runnes shallow in many placed and by a certaine parish there called the Parson thereof hath tolde me he hath had so many of the saide Culles and Loches to his tithe wéekely that they haue founde him sufficient to eate Fridayes and Saterdayes whereof he was called the Parson of Culles This order of stones are laide hollow in shallow places lesse then halfe a foote déepe of water Which fish among the saide heapes of stones doth there lie safe and so bréedes and there they are saued from the water Rats and all other foules which otherwise would still deuour them These store of fish men might haue in diuerse such like riuers in this Realm if they would take the like paine to lay such heapes of stones as is aboue set downe which sheweth the maner of laying them round in the bottome the circuit of two yeardes about or as yée shall sée cause Thus much I thought good to shew for the maintenance and bréeding of Culles and Loches Also it is euident in other Countries the great care they haue in preseruing their fish especially in the spring as in France no fisher men or other shall lay any engins in riuers or brookes in the night as flewes stalles buckes kéepes weles and such like from mid March to mid May for then the fish doeth shed their spawne among wéedes and bushes nor shall not beate the waters or brookes with any plonging poales nor yet the fisher men to fish at no time with any net vnder foure inches mash because they shall not kill the small fish before they are well growen vppon paine of forfaite and losse of all such engins
that is fold thereon so long as ye will haue it of length to lie on the water and each corke to be but foure fingers a sunder or lesse shall suffice The More-coore or bauld Coote kils fish also THe More henne or bauld coote liues likewise on waters and they also eate fish if they can take them To kill or take these I know no other way but with lime or with the gunne or such like to kill them The making of a water lime a verie good and a perfect way YE shall first wash your birdlime in running water that no knots be found therein nor yet motes but pike them out as cleane as ye can in the washing Then take and boyle it in a pot or skillet and in the boyling put in a little rosome with some fresh grease or goose grease and so let it boyle softly a pretie space in storing it stil Then take off the same lime and put it to a weat testorne in water if it come with the lime it is good if not boyle it longer vntill ye sée that proofe Also in stéede of rosom ye may take white turpentine for that is better And this kinde of water lime will holde both in water and frostie wether The Ospray THe Ospray is a bird like a Hawke nie as bigge as the Tarcell of a goshawke he liueth by fish and is a great destroyer of fish for I haue séene him take fish in the middest of a great ponde they say he hath one foote like a Ducke and the other like a Hawke and as he flies nie ouer the water the fish will come vp vnto him Howe to take him I know no other way but to watch where hee prayes to eate his fish for he will flie to some trée there aboutes and there to kill him with the handgunne which I haue séene in Hampshire Thus much for the Ospray The tempering of bird-lime and it will serue also well in water TAke a pound of bird lime cleanse and wash it in running water verie cleare that no knots be left therein Then beate out the water and drie it againe Then put thereto two spoonefuls of sharpe vineger and so much goose grease as will make it subtill to runne and put therto halfe a spoonefull of lampe oyle and a litle Venice Turpentine Then boyle all these together in an earthen leaden panne and sturre it alwayes and let it but bubble and play softly Then take it off the fire and so reserue it and vse it at your pleasure warme it when you will haue the vse thereof Lime made of Misteltoo DYoscorides sayth they do gather the berries in Automne in the full of the Moone for then they are of most force and then they broose them and so let them lie for a space and rotte and then they wash them in running water till they be cleane like other lime and therewith they doe take birdes as with other birde lime made of Holly barkes A pretie way to take a Pye YE shall lime a small thréede a foote long or more and then tie one end about a péece of flesh so bigge as shée may flie away withall and at the other end of the thréed tie a shooe buckle and lay the flesh on a post and let the thréede hang downe and when she flies away with it the thréede with the buckle will wrappe about her and then she will fall so ye may take them FINIS A Booke of Engines and traps to take Polcats Buzardes Rattes Mice and all other kindes of Vermine and beasts whatsoeuer most profitable for all Warriners and such as delight in this kinde of sport and pastime LONDON Printed by Iohn Wolfe and are to be solde by Edwarde White dwelling at the little North doore of Paules at the signe of the Gunne 1590. A hutch to take Polcats as also other Vermin THis manner of Engine is called of Warriners a hutch and it is made of bordes foure square to be remoued or to stande still with two falling bordes at the endes which two bordes must fall into two rygals on both sides of the endes for flipping 〈◊〉 Also there is two laâ—hes and strings tide to the falling bordes on the endes to holde them vp crossing vppon two pillers which are made fast on the vpper borde of the hutch with a line made fast on the backe side comming ouer the endes of the saide lathes downe to the bridge on the fore side Which bridge is tyde within to the backe side or borde of the hutch an inch from the bottome borde Some doe make them with another piller in stéede of the backe string but this is as good a way ye may chuse which way ye will haue it A latch trappe for the water Ratte to be made of borde with a hole pinde against the Rattehole in the banke of brookes pooles or riuers THe latch must be set no wider but two inches and a halfe hie so that they must créepe thorow when 〈◊〉 comes in or out it may be set within the water and abâ—â—â— the water where commonly they lie about all day and come out toward night This is called the dead-fall for Polcats or other Vermine THis engine is called a dead fall it is made with a square péece of timber or such like waying about halfe a hundreth poundes or more with a hole boared in the midst of the vpper side thereof and therein a hooked crooke set fast Also there is foure forked stakes which must be set fast in the ground and laying thereon two cudgils a crosse on which cudgils ye shall lay a long staffe or poale to hold vp the dead fall by the crooch vnder which crooch ye shall put a short cudgell with a line made fast thereunto which line reacheth downe to the bridge beneath which bridge ye shall make within fiue or sixe inces broad like those that are made for the foresaide hutch Also on both sides of this fall ye may set it with borde pale or such like either ye may hedge it with close rods and to make it ten inches hie or more The foure spreading corners are made to shewe the lowe hedges that no vermine shall passe so easily by but come thorow the fall and the passage must be made no wider then the fall is broade Some Warreners do make no tay of the bridge behinde but sets it loose against a pinne before the clicket and so it stayes vpon the fall The latch or Foxe trap THis Engine is called a Latch or Foxe trappe it is made with a thicke péece of wood of two inches in the bottome and so made taper wise vpwarde There is also two other square péeces set on the endes of the bottome péece and made with two regals for the latch to rise and fall in as ye may sée by example in turning on a pinne in the lower rigall at the hinder ende Which latch with the clogge must be made with his edge downeward as the other is