Kitabı oku: «The Master of Game: The Oldest English Book on Hunting», sayfa 10

CHAPTER XXXV
HOW AN HUNTER SHOULD SEEK AND FIND THE HARE WITH RUNNING HOUNDS AND SLAY HER WITH STRENGTH

Ere I speak how the hare should be hunted, it is to be known that the hare is king of all venery, for all blowing and the fair terms of hunting cometh of the seeking and the finding of the hare. For certain it is the most marvellous beast that is, for ever she fumeth or croteth and roungeth and beareth tallow and grease. And though men say that she fumeth inasmuch as she beareth tallow, yet that which cometh from her is not called fumes but croteys. And she hath teeth above in the same wise as beneath. It is also to be known that the hare is at one time male and another time female. When she is female sometimes she kindles in three degrees, two rough, two smooth and two knots that afterwards should be kindles, but this happeneth but seldom. Now for to speak of the hare how he shall be sought and found and chased with hounds. It is to be known what the first word (should be) that the hunter should speak to his hounds when he lets them out of the kennel. When the door is opened he shall say loud: "Ho ho arere,"²²⁷ because that his hounds will come out too hastily. And when he uncoupleth his hounds, he shall say to them when he comes into the field: "Sto mon amy sto atrete," but when he is come forth into the field he shall blow three motes and uncouple the hounds, then he shall speak twice to his hounds in this wise, "Hors de couple, avaunt cy avaunt"²²⁸ and then he shall say thrice "So how" and no more; afterward he shall say loud "Sa say cy avaunt" and then "Sa cy avaunt, sa cy avaunt so how," and if he see the hounds draw fast from him and would fain run, he shall say thus to them here: "How amy – how amy," and then shall he say "Swe mon famy swef"²²⁹ for to make them go softly, and between always blow three motes. And if any of his hounds find and own to the hare where he hath been, he shall say to them in this wise: "Oyez a Beaumont le vaillant," or what the hound is called. And if he seeth that the hare hath been at pasture in green corn or in any other place and his hounds find of her and that they fall well in enquest²³⁰ (hunt) and chase it well, then he shall say "La Douce, la il a este"²³¹ and therewith "So howe" with a high voice, and if his hounds chase

not well at his pleasure and they grede (hunt) there where he has not pastured, then shall he say "Illeoqs illeoqs"²³² in the same place while they seek her. And then he should cast and look about the field, to see where she hath been and whether she hath pastured or not, or whether she be in her form, for she does not like to remain where she hath pastured except in time of relief. If any hounds scent her, and she hath gone from thence to another place, he shall say thus to his hounds as loud as he can: "Ha cy douce cy et venuz arere, so howe."²³³ And if he see that she be gone to the plain or the field or to arable land or into the wood, if his hounds get well on her scent, then he shall say: "La douce amy, il ad est illeoqs"²³⁴ and therewith he shall say: "so-how illeoqs, sy douce cy vayllant"²³⁵ and twice "so-howe," and when he is come there where he supposeth the hare dwells then shall he say thus: "La douce la est il venuz" and therewith thrice "so-howe" and no more. And if he thinks he is sure to find her in any place then he shall say: "La douce how-here, how-here, how-here, how-here, douce how-here how-here," and when she is found and started he shall blow a mote and rechase²³⁶ and holloa as often as he wishes and then say loud: "Oyez! a Beaumond" or what the hound is named, "le vailaunt oyez, oyez, oyez, who-bo-lowe," and then "Avaunte assemble, avaunte." And then should the horsemen keep well to one side and some way to the front with long rods in their hands to meet with her, and so blowe a mote and rechace and holloa and set the hounds in the rights if they see her, and also for to prevent any hound following sheep, or other beasts, and if they do to ascrie (rate) them sorely and dismount and take them up and lash them well, saying loud "Ware ware ha ha ware" and lash them back to their fellows, and if it happens that the hare be seated in her form in front of the hounds, and that they cannot find her as soon as they would, then shall he say: "How-sa amy sa sa acouplere, sa arere, so-how," but not (blow) the stynt too soon. And if he seeth that his hounds cannot put her up as soon as he would, then shall he blow the stynt, and say loud: "ho ho ore swef a la douce, a lui, a lui, so how

assamy, assamy, la arere so-howe, venez acouplere," and thus as oft as the aforesaid case happeneth. And as oft as any hound catcheth it (the scent) he should hue to him by his name, and rout him to his fellows as before is said, but not rechace till the hare be found, or that some man meet it and blow the rights and holloa, or else that he findeth her pointing or pricking whichever it be, for both mean the same, but some call it the one and some the other. And if he find that he can well blow the rights and holloa and jopey three or four times and cry loud "le voy, le voy," till the hounds come thither and have well caught it. And (when) she is retrieved blow and holloa and rout to the hounds as it is said you should do at the finding, and follow after and foot it who can foot it. And if it happen when men hunt her and hounds chase her that she squat anywhere before the hounds, and that any hunter find her squatting, if the hounds be nigh about, he should blow a mote and rechace and start her, and then halloa and rout to them as above is said. And if he find her squat, and the hounds be far from him, then should he blow as I last said before, and after two motes for the hounds, and the berners that hear him should answer him thus "trut, trut, trut" and draw all towards him with the hounds as fast as they can, saying to their hounds: "so-how, mon amy, so-howe." And when they be there and the hounds have all come up, they should check them with one of their rods, and when she is started, blow, holloa and rout as before is said, and according to what the case requireth, do as before is said and devised. And when she hath been well chased and well retrieved, notwithstanding her rusing and squatting and reseating, so that by strength at last she is bitten by the hounds, whoso is nearest should start to take her whole from them, and hold her in his one hand over his head high, and blow the death that men may gather thither, and when they be come, then should she be stripped, all save the head, and the gall and the paunch cast away, and the remnant should be laid on a great staff or on a board, whoso hath it, or on the earth, and then it should be chopped as small as it can be, so that it hang together; and when it is so done then should one of the berners take it up with the head and hold it as high as he is able in his hands, and then whoso is most master, blow the death, and anon as he beginneth every man help and holloa. And when the hounds have bayed, as long as is wished by the aforesaid most master, then should the berner pull as high as he can every piece from the other and cast to every hound his reward. And then should the most master blow a mote and stroke, if so be that he thinks that the hounds have done enough, and else he should rest awhile, if the hounds be hot, till they be cooled, and then led to the water to lap. And then if he wish blow three motes and

uncouple and speak and so do as before is said. And if they will seek a covert for the hare and set greyhounds without, they should blow and seek and speak in the manner as before is said, save that if the hounds find anything what so ever it be, he shall rally and jopey till he has seen it, or that he knows what it is (and if it be an hare do as above is said), ²³⁷ an if it be ought else he shall blow drawing with his horn and cry loud "So-how mon amy, so-how, sto arere, so-how, so-howe," and seek forthwith again with three long motes till the hare be found. Yet nevertheless if they be hart-hunters that seek a covert for the hare, and their hounds find a fox, whoso meeteth with him should blow out upon him to warn the fewterers ²³⁸ that there is a thief in the wood. And if they run at the hare and the hare happen to come out to the greyhounds in front of the raches and be killed, the fewterer that let run should blow the death and keep it as whole as he may till the hunters be come, and then should they reward the hounds as before is said.

CHAPTER XXXVI
OF THE ORDINANCE AND THE MANNER OF HUNTING WHEN THE KING WILL HUNT IN FORESTS OR IN PARKS FOR THE HART WITH BOWS AND GREYHOUNDS AND STABLE

The Master of the Game should be in accordance with the master forester or parker where it should be that the King should hunt such a day, and if the tract be wide, the aforesaid forester or parker should warn the sheriff of the shire where the hunting shall be, for to order sufficient stable, ²³⁹ and carts, also to bring the deer that should be slain to the place where the curées at huntings have been usually held. And thence he should warn the hunters and fewterers whither they should come, and the forester should have men ready there to meet them, that they go no farther, nor straggle about for fear of frightening the game, before the King comes. And if the hunting shall be in a park all men should remain at the park gate, save the stable that ought to be set ere the King comes, and they should be set by the foresters or parkers. And early in the morning the Master of the Game should be at the wood to see that all be ready, and he or his lieutenant or such hunters that he wishes, ought to set the greyhounds and who so be teasers ²⁴⁰ to the King or to the Queen, or to their attendants. As often as any hart cometh out he should when he passes blow a mote and recheat, and let slip to tease it forth, and if it be a stag, he should let him pass as I said and rally to warn the fewterers what is coming out. And to lesser deer should no wight let run, and if he hath seen the stag, not unless he were commanded. ²⁴¹ And then the master forester or parker ought to show him the King's standing if the King would stand with his bow, and where all the remnant of the bows would stand. And the yeoman for the King's bows ought to be there to keep and make the King's standing, and remain there without noise, till the King comes. And the grooms that keep the king's dogs and broken greyhounds should be there with him, for they belong to the yeomen's office, and also the Master of the Game should be informed by the forester or parker what game the king should find within the set, ²⁴² and when all this is done, then should the Master of the Game worthe (mount) upon (his) horse and meet the King and bring him to his standing and tell him what game is within the set, and how the greyhounds be set, and also the stable, and also tell him where it is best for him to stand with his bow or with his greyhounds, for it is to be known that the attendants of his chamber and of the queen's should be best placed, and the two fewterers ought to make fair lodges of green boughs at the tryste to keep the King and Queen and ladies, and gentlewomen and also the greyhounds from the sun and bad weather. And when the King is at his standing or at his tryste, whichever he prefers, and the Master of the Game or his lieutenant have set the bows and assigned who shall lead the Queen to her tryste, then he should blow the three long motes for the uncoupling. And the hart hounds and the harriers that before have been led by some forester or parker thither where they should uncouple, and all the hounds that belong to both the mutes (packs) waiting for the Master of the Game's blowing. Then should the sergeant of the mute of the hart-hounds, if there be much rascal within the set, make all them of office, save the yeomen of the horse, hardel²⁴³ their hounds, and in every hardel two or three couple of hounds at the most suffice. And then to stand abroad in the woods for relays, and then blow three motes to the uncoupling. And then should the harrier uncouple his hounds and blow three motes and seek forth saying loud and long, "hoo sto ho sto, mon amy, ho sto" and if they draw far from him in any unruly manner he should speak to them in that case as when he seeketh for the hare. And as oft as he passes within the set from one quarter to another, he should blow drawing, and when he is passed the boundary of the quarter, and entered into a new quarter, he should blow three motes and seek forth, but if so be, that his hounds enchace anything as he wishes, and if any hound happen to find of the King's (game), he should hue to him by his name and say loud: "Oyez a Bemond, oyez-oyez, assemble, assemble," or what the hound is named, "assemble, assemble" and jopey and rally. And if it be an hart and any of the hart hounds meet with it they should blow a mote and rechace and relay, and go forth therewith all rechacing among. And if it come to the bows or to greyhounds and be dead, he should blow the death when he is come thither, and reward his hounds a little, and couple them up and go again to his place. And if the hart has escaped he should no longer rechace, but blow drawing and draw in again, and in the best way that he can, take up his hounds and get in front of them. And after that the harriers have well run and well made the rascal void,²⁴⁴ then should the sergeant and the berners of the hart hounds blow three motes, the one after the other and uncouple there where they suppose the best ligging (lair) is for a hart, and seek as before is said; unless it be the season when the hart's head is tender, then he shall use some of the aforesaid words of seeking to the hounds: "Le doulez, mon amy, le doulez, le doules," and if his hounds find anything do as before is said, and if it be a hart, do as above is said, as he may know by his fues or by men that meet with him. And if it be ought else, the berner ought to blow drawing, and who meeteth with him (the hart) call to them, and the berner should say "Sto arere so how, so how." And if the lymerer meet withal, or see by the fues that it is an hart, he should sue thereto till he be dead. If it go to the greyhounds and if it go to the bows, and be smitten anon, as he findeth blood he should take up his hounds and lead them thence and reward them a little, and then if he escape out of the set, he should reward his hounds, and take them up and go again to the wood and look if he may meet with anything. And as often as he meeteth and findeth, or his hounds run on a fresh scent, do as before is said. And one thing is to be known, that the hart-hounds should never be uncoupled before any other, unless a hart be readily harboured, and that he may be sued to and moved with the lymer, or else that they be uncoupled to a herd of great male deer at the view, namely within a set in a forest or in a park,

there where there is a great change of rascal. And that is the cause why the other hounds shall be first uncoupled to make the rascal void, for small deer will sooner leave their covert than will a great hart, unless it be a hind that hath her calf in the wood, and hath lately calved. And when the rascal is thus voided then the hart hounds are uncoupled and they find the great old wily deer that will not lightly void, and they enchace him well and lustily and make him void both to bows and to greyhounds, so that they fully do their duty. And all the while that the hunting lasteth should the carts go about from place to place for to bring the deer to the curée. And there should the server ²⁴⁵ of the hall be to arrange the curées, and to lay the game in a row, all the heads one way – and every deer's feet to the other's back. The harts should be laid in two or three rows (by themselves) according to whether there be many or few, and the rascal in the same way by themselves, and they should take care that no man come within the curée till the King come, save the Master of the Game. And when the covert is well hunted and cleared, then should the Master of the Game come to the King to know if he would hunt any more. And if the King say yea, then shall the Master of the Game if the greyhounds or bows or stable need not to be removed, blow two long motes for the hounds, and forthwith blow drawing with three long motes that men should stand still, and the hunters may know that they should come to a new seeking with their hounds. And when the hounds be come there where they should uncouple blow three long motes and do and seek and blow, as is before said. And if the bows and greyhounds and stable should be removed, then should he blow a mote and stroke, without the mote in the middle, for to draw men together, and thereby may men know that the king will hunt more ere he go home. And when men come together, then should the Master of the Game see to the placing of the King and of the Queen and of the bows and of the greyhounds and of the stable, as I have said here before, and the hunters to their seeking, and of all other things do in the same manner as I have said. And if the king will hunt no more, then should the Master of his Game, if the King will not blow, blow a mote and stroke with a mote in the middle and the sergeant or whoso bloweth next him, and no man else, should blow the first mote but only the middle, and so every man as oft as he likes to stroke, if they have obtained that which they hunted for. And the middle mote should not be blown save by him that bloweth next the master. And thereby may men know as they hear men stroke homeward whether they have well sped or not. And this way of stroking should serve in the manner I have rehearsed for all hunting save when the hart is slain with strength. And when the mote is blown and stroked, then should the Master of the Game lead the King to the curée, and show it him, and no man as I have said above should come within it, but every man (keep) without it. And then the King shall tell the Master of the Game what deer he would were (given away) and to whom, and (after this) if the King wishes to stay he may. Nevertheless he usually goes home when he hath done this. And then should the Master of the Game begin at one row and so forth, and tythe all the deer right as they lie, rascal and others, and deliver it to the proctors of the church that ought to have it. And then (separate) the deer that the king commandeth him to deliver, and if any of them that should have part of the deer be not there he should charge the master forester to send it home, and then he should deliver a certain (part) of the remnant to the afore said sewers and to the sergeant of the larder and the remnants should be given by the Master of the Game, some to the gentlemen of the country by the information of the forester or parker, as they have been friendly to the bailie, and the remnant to the officers and hunters as he liketh best. And it is to be known that every man bow and fewterer that hath slain anything should mark it that he might challenge his fee, and have it at the curée, but let him beware that he marks no lord's mark nor (other) fewterers nor hunters, or he will lose his fee. And also it is to be known that the fees of all follies belong to the master of the harriers, if so be that he or his deputy be at the hunting, and blow three motes and else not, in which case the Master of the Game can give it to whom he wishes save what the King slayeth with his bow or the Queen or my lord the prince, or that which they bid with their own mouth to let run to. And all shall be judged folly of red deer which is beneath the hart, and of fallow deer which is beneath the buck, nevertheless if the harrier would challenge the deer for folly, and it is not folly, if there be a strife with him who asketh the fee, the Master of the Game shall judge it, and right so shall he do of all these strifes for fees between bow and bow, and fewterer and fewterer, and of all other strifes and discords that belong to hunting. And when all the deer be delivered, and the hunters and the fewterers of the kennel be assigned to undo the deer that be delivered for the king's larder, then should the grooms chacechiens of the hart-hounds gather the paunches and small guts together and do with them as is advised in the chapter of the hart hunting with strength, and get them a skin to lie thereover, and do as in the same chapter described with the

greatest and best head (antlers) that they can find in all the curée. Save the blowing of the prise and the stroking and the menee, the bay should wait till the curées be done, and the flesh taken away, and there should the Master of the Game be, and the sergeant and all the yeomen and grooms of the office. And if the greyhounds²⁴⁶ shall be rewarded it should be done right as is devised in the aforesaid chapter, except that the blowings above described shall be left out. And also whosoever slew the deer the yeomen of the office should have the skin that lyeth upon the deer when the hounds are rewarded. And also it is to know that the harriers when they have run shall be rewarded with the paunches and guts, but there is no need to make a long bay with the hart's head to them, for they are made to run and chase all game that one wishes, and that is the cause why the master of them has the fees of all deer save the hart and the buck, unless it be in the certain case before mentioned. And when the curée is done, and the bay made, then is the time for every man to draw homeward to his supper and to make himself as merry as he can. And when the yeomen berners and grooms have led home the hounds and set them well up and supplied them with water and straw according to what they need, then should they go to their supper and drink well and make merry. And of the fees it is to be known that the man whoever he be, who has smitten a deer while posted at his tree with a death-stroke so that the deer be got before the sun goes down, he shall have the skin. And if he be not posted or has gone from his tree, or has done otherwise than is said, he shall have none. And as of the fewterers, if they be posted, the first teaser and receiver²⁴⁷ that draweth the deer down shall divide the skin.²⁴⁸ Nevertheless in other lord's hunting whoso pincheth first and goeth therewith to the death he shall have the skin. And all the deer's necks are the hunters, and one shoulder and the chine is his that undoeth the deer, and the other shoulder is the forester's or the parker's fee that keepeth the bailie that is hunted. And all the skins of harts slain with strength of the hart-hounds, belong to the master of the hart-hounds as his fee, that is to say he that hath the wages of twelve pence a day for the office. It is to be known that when the king hunteth in the park or in the forest with bows and greyhounds, and it happens that any hart be slain with strength of hart-hounds, all the hart hunters after the King or the Master of his Game have blown a mote and stroked, all day they should stroke the assise that belongeth to the

hart slain with strength, but not with eight long motes, but with four short and four long motes, as is in the aforesaid chapter plainly devised. And all the other hunters should stroke the common stroking as is above described and said.

END OF THE BRITISH MUSEUM MS

VESPASIAN B. XII

The following is the concluding passage of the Shirley Manuscript (Add. MS. 16, 165) in the British Museum: —

Now I pray unto every creature that hath heard or read this little treatise of whatever estate or condition he be that there where there is too little of good language that of their benignity and grace they will add more, and there where there is too much superfluity that they will also abridge it as may seem best by their good and wise discretion. Not presuming that I had over much knowledge and ability to put into writing this royal disportful and noble game of hunting so effectually that it might not be submitted to the correction of all gentle hunters. And in my simple manner as best I could and as might be learned of old and many diverse gentle hunters, I did my business in this rude manner to put the craft and the terms and the exercise of this said game more in remembrance and openly to the knowledge of all lords, ladies, gentlemen and women, according to the customs and manners used in the high noble court of this Realm of England.

FINIS