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Title: The Experienced Angler; or Angling Improved

Author: Robert Venables

Author of introduction, etc.: Izaak Walton

Release date: February 22, 2022 [eBook #67474]

Language: English

Original publication: United Kingdom: Septimus Prowett and Thomas Gosden, 1825

Credits: Fiona Holmes and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images generously made available by The Internet Archive.)


*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE EXPERIENCED ANGLER; OR ANGLING IMPROVED ***





Transcriber’s Notes.

Hyphenation has been standardised.

The Contents list has been created by the Transcriber and is placed in
the public domain.

Changes made are noted at the end of the book.


CONTENTS

 CHAP. I.— When to provide tools and how to make them.
 CHAP. II.— Divers sorts of angling; first, of the fly.
 CHAP. III.— Of the Artificial Fly.
 CHAP. IV.— Of angling at the ground.
 CHAP. V.— Of all sorts of baits for each kind of fish.
 CHAP. VI.— To keep your baits.




THE EXPERIENCED ANGLER; OR ANGLING IMPROVED.


J. Johnson, Printer, Brook Street, Holborn, London.




THE

EXPERIENCED ANGLER;

OR

Angling Improved.

IMPARTING MANY

OF THE

APTEST WAYS AND CHOICEST EXPERIMENTS

FOR THE

TAKING MOST SORTS OF FISH

IN

POND OR RIVER.

BY COL. ROBERT VENABLES.

“I have read and practised by many books of this kind, formerly made
public; from which, although I received much advantage, yet without
prejudice to their worthy Authors, I could never find in them that
height of judgment and reason, manifested in this, as I may call it,
Epitome of Angling.” _Isaac Walton._

LONDON:

SEPTIMUS PROWETT, OLD BOND STREET,

AND

THOMAS GOSDEN, BEDFORD STREET,

COVENT GARDEN.

1825.




TO HIS INGENIOUS FRIEND THE AUTHOR, ON HIS ANGLING IMPROVED.

HONOURED SIR,

_Though I never, to my knowledge, had the happiness to see your
face, yet accidentally coming to a view of this discourse before it
went to the press; I held myself obliged in point of gratitude for
the great advantage I received thereby, to tender you my particular
acknowledgment, especially having been for thirty years past, not
only a lover but a practiser of that innocent recreation, wherein
by your judicious precepts I find myself fitted for a_ higher form;
_which expression I take the boldness to use, because I have read
and practised by many books of this kind, formerly made public; from
which, although I received much advantage in the practice, yet, without
prejudice to their worthy Authors, I could never find in them that
height of_ judgment _and_ reason, _which you have manifested in this,
as I may call it_, epitome of Angling; _since my reading whereof I
cannot look upon some notes of my own gathering, but methinks I do_
puerilia tractare. _But lest I should be thought to go about to magnify
my own judgment, in giving yours so small a portion of its due, I
humbly take leave with no more ambition than to kiss your hand, and to
be accounted_

YOUR HUMBLE AND THANKFUL SERVANT, ISAAC WALTON.




MEMOIR OF COL. ROBERT VENABLES.


Of the author, Colonel Robert Venables, but little is known, and that
little not very satisfactory. Among the Manuscripts in the Harleian
Collection, are several Pedigrees of the Families of Venables:
particularly in that marked ‘1393, f. 39,’ where the great ancestor
of Venables is stated to have been Gabriel Venables, who came over
with William the Conqueror, and afterwards received the Earldom of
Kinderton, in Cheshire, from Hugh Lupus. Another Manuscript, No. 2059,
recites a deed from one of the family, residing at Northwich, as early
as anno 1260.

But reverting more immediately to the subject of this notice, the
Harleian Manuscript ‘1993, f. 52.’ contains a paper, partly in the hand
writing of Colonel Venables, which furnishes a detailed account of the
time he served in the Parliament Army in Cheshire, and of the pay due
to him from 1643 to 1646. From this authority it appears, that in 1644
he was made Governor of Chester; and from other sources we learn, that
in 1645, he was Governor of Tarvin. In 1649, he was Commander in Chief
of the Forces in Ulster, in Ireland, and had the towns of Lisnegarvy,
Antrim, and Belfast delivered to him. His actions in the sister
kingdom, are recited in an excessively rare book, entitled ‘A History,
or Briefe Chronicle of the Chief Matters of the Irish Warres,’ printed
at London, in 1650, 4to.

From this period no trace of him is discoverable, and it is probable
that he was unemployed, until Cromwell, at the instigation of Cardinal
Mazarine, fitted out a fleet for the conquest of Hispaniola, in 1654,
when Colonel Venables, and Admiral Penn, were invested with the command
of that armament. It appears however, to have been undertaken in an
evil hour, and a contemporary manuscript in the Editor’s possession,
and which has not been printed till now, furnishes the most valuable
information respecting the disasters which they underwent. The
manuscript is evidently addressed to some one, and it commences:—


Sir,

The opinion I was of, in that discourse we had at----, touching the
Western Voyage of the English in 1654. I have been since abundantly
confirmed in, by the perusal of some Papers and Memoirs of a Person
of no mean character throughout that action, whose employment gave
him opportunity to know all, at least the most considerable of its
transactions, and I have reason to believe, by the account I have
had of him, he was sufficiently able to take his measures of them
aright. The substance of what I gathered from his notes, and from
orders of the Councils of War, as well of the Commissioners, and from
declarations of the Army, and letters from persons who held posts
in that Army, all which I had the favour to inspect, I will here
faithfully present you with. For indeed I am very desirous to beget in
you the same sentiments of that affair, which I have, I think, with
good reason entertained. And the rather, because the course you design
to steer will give you opportunity of converse with those persons, who
are most inquisitive after, as most concerned to know, matters of this
nature; and yet, perhaps, under greater mistakes in this particular,
than any others.

It was doubtless, none of the least ends which that fox, Oliver, had
in that design; to rid himself of some persons whom he could neither
securely employ, nor safely discard: which end seemed chiefly to
influence the managery of the whole business, as you will perceive by
the story.

It was pretended at first it should be carried on with great secrecy;
but the delay was so great, and thereby the notice of it so public, as
alarmed the Spaniards to provide for their reception. Venables moved
to have had soldiers for this service drawn out of the Irish Army,
which he had been well acquainted with; but it was peremptorily denied,
and they were appointed to be drawn out of the army in England, whose
officers generally gave out of their several companies the rawest
and worst armed they had. And these being hastily shipped off at
Portsmouth, the chief of the land officers, who were to go with them,
were never suffered to rendezvous, or see together till they came to
Barbadoes, where they arrived January 29, 1654-5. Here they found them
to want 500 of the number promised, being but 2500 men in all, and not
above half of those well armed. And though they had been assured they
should find 1500 arms at Barbadoes, yet they could not there make up
200 arms; and all the help they had was to make half-pikes, wherein,
and in fixing those arms they had, they met with some difficulty, their
smith’s tools being on board their store ships, which were not yet come
to them. For those ships took in their provisions at London, and they
were promised should meet them at Portsmouth, and there they were told
that they should reach them at Barbadoes; which yet they did not, nor
till at least six months after. So that much of the provision, which
was defective at first taking in, was by that time grown very corrupt.

While they staid at Barbadoes it was plainly discovered that not only
the inhabitants there were against the general design, but that the
seamen bandied against the land-men, and gave them not that assistance
and furtherance which was in their power. Notwithstanding the
land-soldiers great want of arms, Penn and the sea-officers would not
be prevailed with to furnish them with any, nor so much as to lend them
a pike or a lance; though he had above 1200 of the former to spare, and
great numbers of the latter were put aboard on purpose for the army to
kill cows with. At their leaving that place, the seamen had their full
allowance of victuals and brandy on their fish-days; when the land-men
had for four days in the week, but half their proportions, the other
three fish-days, only bread and water.

In this condition they left Barbadoes, March the last, 1655. By the way
they touched at St. Christopher’s, whence they took aboard a regiment
of soldiers, who had been raised in that island; among whom they were
pleased to find two Englishmen, Cox and Bounty, who had then lately
come from Hispaniola, where the former had lived twelve years, and
served as a gunner in the castle of St. Domingo.

Now when they were far out at sea, a dormant commission, not before
discovered, was broken up, whereby two others, Winslow and Butler, were
joined in commission, and equally empowered, with the two generals
Venables and Penn; and nothing was to be done without their joint
advice and orders: yea, when on shore, Venables, (though he had by
his own commission a command of all the land forces in chief,) yet
he was by this commission restrained from acting any thing without
the concurrence of the commissioners, or such one, or more, of them
as was present with him. A great debate now arose between these
Commissioners about dividing the lion’s skin, before he was caught,
which occasioned much heat among them, and gave great dissatisfaction
to the soldiers. There was a clause in this joint commission, that all
prizes and booties got by sea or land should be at the disposal of the
commissioners, for the advance of the present service and design. This
the greater part of the Commissioners judged was to be extended to all
sorts of pillage. Venables thought it was meet to interpret it only of
ships and their lading, and large quantities of treasure and goods in
towns and forts: and that to extend it to all booty, by whomsoever got,
would be both impossible to put in execution, and hugely disgustful
to the soldier to attempt. When he could not prevail to have his
sense of this hard clause pass, he propounded a middle way: that none
should conceal or retain any arms, money, plate, jewels, or goods, to
his private use, on pain of forfeiting his share in the whole, &c.
but that all should be brought in unto officers, chosen by mutual
consent, and sworn to be faithful therein; and then distribution to be
made to each man according to his quality and desert. And agreeably
thereto he framed both an order for the Commissioners to sign, and
a declaration for the officers of the army to subscribe, testifying
their submission to the order, and that they would endeavour that all
under their respective commands should observe it; and further, that
when their several pays should be discharged, they would acquiesce in
the disposal of the surplus by the Commissioners, either in rewards to
the deserving, or in necessaries for the public service, &c. This the
Commissioners so far approved as to appoint it to be writ fair, and
copies made, for each regiment one. The officers and soldiers were also
content, and satisfied therewith; but when it came to the point, only
Venables and Penn signed the order, and so the declaration fell too.
Which surely was a great oversight in the Commissioners who refused,
for by this means they would have soothed and pleased the army with a
fair flourish, but in reality had by common consent obtained the whole
to be at their own disposal.

Then the Commissioners propounding a fortnight’s pay to the soldiery
instead of the pillage of St. Domingo, the chief city of Hispaniola,
Venables prevailed with them to be content with six weeks pay. But when
that would not be yielded to by the Commissioners, he requested the
officers and soldiers, without standing on any terms, to venture their
lives with him, and trust to Providence for the issue and reward; which
they agreed unto for that time, but withal many of them declared they
would never strike stroke more, where there should be commissioners
thus to controul the general and soldiers, but would forthwith return
for England.

By this time they drew near to Hispaniola; the land general and
officers were for running the fleet into the harbour of St. Domingo,
but they of the fleet opposed it, Penn assured them there was a bomb
which would hinder their advance; though Cox, being called in, said
he believed there was none, yea, declared among the soldiers, that he
conceived the harbour was incapable of any thing of that kind. During
the debate about this matter, Captain Crispin, who commanded a frigate,
offered to venture the running in of his vessel into the harbour, and
bore up so near as to fire on the castle of St. Domingo, and discovered
nothing of any bomb, or other obstruction, as he after declared; yet
was he commanded off by Penn. Then they of the army resolved at a
council of war, among other things, that one regiment staying to land
to the east of the city, which fell by lot to Col. Butler; the rest of
the army should land some miles distant at the river Hine, the place
where Drake landed, and force the fort which stood at the mouth of
it: yet they of the fleet carried the army westward to Point Nizas,
whence they had to march above thirty miles north to the city, through
a strange, woody, and very hot country, where no water could be found,
and many of them had but two days victuals delivered them from the
fleet, none above three. The mean while Cox, who was designed to be
guide to the land forces, had been sent by Penn a fishing, and was not
returned, nor could be heard of at the landing; in the want of him,
Venables desired to have had Bounty, or Fernes, who also was acquainted
with the Island, but Penn would not part with either of them.

So soon as they were landed, the Commissioners appointed the publishing
of an order against plundering, and that all pillage should be brought
in unto a common store; but therein gave Venables liberty to promise
the soldiers, in case the city should be taken by storm, six weeks pay,
or a moiety of the pillage, excepting arms, ammunition, and such like:
or in case it should be surrendered, three weeks pay, or a third of the
pillage. This was signed by Penn, Winslow, and Butler.

The soldiers, who were before disgusted, were by this exasperated into
mutiny. A sea regiment, which came ashore, was the first that laid
down arms; and by their example all the rest. And much ado Venables
had in any sort to pacify them; at last they were persuaded to march,
though with much discontent: and in that unsatisfied, mutinying humour,
they marched four days without any guide, tormented with heat, hunger
and thirst, when they might have landed at the place best fitted for
attack, fresh on the first day.

The mean while Col. Buller had, according to his order, essayed to
land eastward of the city; but finding no place for it, was afterwards
appointed by the Commissioners to land at Hine river, but with
express order not to stir thence till the army came up. Accordingly
he landed on Monday, April 17, and with him Col. Houldip, and 500 of
his regiment, having Cox in their company. At their approaching, the
Spaniards abandoned the fort near the river mouth, leaving two great
guns dismounted, and the walls, as much as their haste would allow,
dismantled. This encouraged Buller to pursue them towards the city; but
in the narrow passes of the woods, he missed his way, and came to some
plantations vacant and waterless, purposing there to expect the army:
yet next morning sent out a party to descry the fort St. Hieronimo, who
exposed themselves too much to view, and alarmed the Spaniards.

Soon after Buller had marched from the fort where he landed, the army
came to the other side of the river Hine, but could not pass it,
wanting a guide to shew them the ford, which induced them to march
five miles up the river, seeking one; and at last, the day being spent,
they were forced to quarter that night without either food or good
fresh water. Next day, after three miles march more, a ford was found,
and the river passed, and they had not gone far, when a farm with water
chancing in their way, gave them great refreshment. Where making a
halt, and consulting what was meet for them to do, they resolved to
go to the fleet at the harbour for provision for their hungry men;
to which an Irishman, then brought in by some stratagem, offered to
guide them the shortest way. And though Venables was jealous of him,
and would not have heeded him, yet Commissioner Butler would have him
followed, and charged them by virtue of their instructions so to do;
and follow him they did, till a fruitless march three or four miles the
contrary way, proved him a liar. At last, hearing Buller’s drums, they
made towards him, and met with him near the strong fort, St. Hieronimo,
a regular and well fortified pier, in the road to the city. Venables
being at this time in the van, which he had led all their long march,
went himself with the guide, for the officers being all very weary,
were willing to be excused; to search the woods before the army, and
discovered the Spaniards in ambush, before they stirred; who presently,
thereupon advancing, the English forlorn immediately fired upon
them too hastily and at too much distance, which gave the Spaniards
advantage to fall in with them with their lances, before they could
charge again, and so gave them some disorder, and killed some officers;
among whom, to their great loss, Captain Cox perished; but the English
quickly recovering themselves, beat the enemy back, and pursued them
within cannon shot of the city.

These weary spent men, drawn on by their eagerness to this skirmish,
forgot that thirst, which, so soon as the pursuit was over, they
fainted under; many, both men and horse, dying on the place for very
thirst. Venables, being much endangered at this action in the route of
the forlorn, was earnestly entreated and pressed by the officers not to
hazard himself so again, but to march with the body. This over, they
called a council of war, where, considering their want of match, which
was spent to three or four inches, and of provision, which all had been
without two days, and some longer, and had no other sustenance but
what fruits the woods afforded; they once again resolved to return to
their ships, which the Irishman’s relation, and Commissioner Butler’s
peremptory charge had diverted them from, and caused them to lose many
men and horses with thirst and hunger in marching back that way, which
otherwise had been saved.

Some four or five days were spent at the harbour in refreshing the
tired, fainting soldiery, and taking new resolutions for a second march
and charge. Wherein, they could not well be more speedy, for Penn and
Winslow, two of the Commissioners, keeping at sea with the fleet,
(which rode some leagues off from the fort by Hine river,) and refusing
to come ashore, Venables, though then ill with the flux, was forced to
make many dangerous passages to and from them in small Brigantines for
their concurring counsel, which often differing, caused much delay,
and gave the Spaniards time to gather heart and strength for better
defence. The common soldiers this mean while, were but ill treated from
the fleet. Those that by sickness or wounds in the last action, were
disabled for further service, (they having no tents or carriages ashore
to dispose of them in) were sent a ship board, and there they were kept
forty-eight hours on the bare decks, without either meat, drink, or
dressing; that worms bred in their wounds, which would soon be in that
hot country, and some of them by that very usage perished, particularly
one Captain Leverington, a brave man. The others ashore being furnished
with the worst, and most mouldy of the biscuits; no beef, altogether
unwatered, and no brandy to cheer their spirits; had their thirst
greatly enraged, which that river, even where it was fresh, yet coming
from copper, rather augmented than assuaged. And this usage and diet,
together with the extraordinary rains that fell on their unsheltered
bodies, cast them all into violent fluxes; sorry encouragements and
preparatives for a second attempt, which yet was at last resolved on.

Tuesday, April 25. They had with them one mortar-piece, and two
drakes, in the drawing whereof, and carrying of mattocks, spades, and
calabashes of fresh water, the strongest men were employed till all
were reduced to almost a like weakness; and the cruel sea-officers
offered them no more brandy with them, than would be about a good
spoonful to a man. One night they lodged in the woods; the next day
they advanced toward the fort of St. Hieronimo, which they resolved to
attack, being in their way, about a mile from the town, and not fit to
leave at their backs.

April 26. Adjutant-General Jackson had this day the command of the
forlorn, consisting of four hundred men; in the van whereof, he put
Captain Butler, and himself brought up the rear. Also he marched
without any wings on either hand to search the woods, and discover
ambushes, which was expressly contrary both to order, and their
daily practice throughout their whole march from Point Nizas. With
the forlorn thus managed, and all ready to faint with thirst, having
marched eight miles without water, in a narrow pass in the thick woods,
where but six could well march abreast, they fell into an ambuscado
of the Spaniards, who suffered the forlorn all to march within them,
and then charged them both in van and flank. Captain Butler with the
van undauntedly received the charge, and in order, fired again, and
all of them stood till he fell; but the rear ran away without abiding
a charge, Jackson himself being the first man that turned his back.
Venables, his regiment, with Ferguson his Lieutenant Colonel in the
head of them, being next, charged their pikes on Jackson and his flying
men; but they being too well resolved to be stopt, first routed that
regiment, and then most of Heanes’s regiment. These all came violently
upon the sea regiment, which was led by Venables and Goodson, then
Vice-Admiral, who with their swords forced the runaways into the
woods, choosing rather to kill, than be routed by them. At the same
time, which much advantaged them, the rear part of Heanes’s regiment
having opened and drawn themselves on either side into the woods,
counterflanked the Spaniards, and charged their ambuscadoes, which the
Spaniards perceiving, and that the sea regiment advanced unrouted,
retreated. The English then charged them afresh, pursued them, and beat
them back beyond the fort, and so regained the bodies of the slain,
and the place of fight, which ground they kept the rest of that day,
and the night following, though the guns from the fort all that time,
as well as during the skirmish, played hotly upon them, and killed
sometimes eight or nine at a shot.

In this action, the valiant Heanes, major general, and Ferguson before
mentioned, and such other officers of those regiments as knew not what
it was to fly, fell by the swords and lances of the Spaniards; and many
common soldiers with them.

The English now about the fort, Venables commanded to assault it, and
that to that end, they should play the mortar-piece against it, and
had it drawn up for that purpose. But he himself being before brought
very low with his flux, the toil of the day had so far spent him, that
he could not stand or go but as supported by two; and in that manner
he moved from place to place, to encourage the men to stand, and to
plant it. But the latter he could not prevail on, neither by commands,
entreaties, or offers of rewards. At last, fainting among them, he
was carried off, and Fortescue, who succeeded major general, in the
stead of Heanes, took the command, who laboured much also to get the
mortar-piece planted, but without any effect. For the spirits of the
English soldiers were so sunk, by their want of water and provisions,
the excessive heat, and their great sickness occasioned thereby, that
not any one upon any account could be got to plant it. Night drawing
on, whilst the soldiers buried the dead, they called a council of war
of all the colonels, and field officers, where it was agreed, no man
dissenting, that the difficulties of thirst were not to be overcome,
and that if they staid there, though they beat the enemy, they must
perish for want of water. Whereupon, it was resolved to retreat next
morn at sun rise, if the mortar-piece could not play before. The
morning came, and no place found to plant the mortar-piece, nor men
that would work, the guns from the fort beating them off from every
place, they buried their shells, drew off their mortar-piece, drakes,
spades, &c. and making a strong rear-guard, retreated to their ships at
the harbour.

In this attempt against the fort, the common soldiers shewed themselves
so extremely heartless, that they only followed their officers to
charge, and left them there to die, unless they were as nimble footed
as themselves. And of all others, the planters, whom they had raised in
those parts, were the worst, being only forward to do mischief; men so
debauched as not to be kept under discipline, and so cowardly as not to
be made to fight.

Being come to the harbour, they betook themselves to the examination
and punishment of the cowardice of some, and of divers miscarriages
and disorders of others. Jackson was accused.

1. That contrary to express order, he had marched without any to search
the woods.

2. That he took but few pikes, and those he placed in the rear, as if
he feared only his own party.

3. That he put others in the van, and himself brought up his rear.

4. That he was the first man that run, and when there was a stop, he
opened his way with both hands to get foremost.

These being proved before a council of war, he was sentenced to be
cashiered: his sword broken over his head: and he made a swabber to
keep the hospital ship clean, which was executed accordingly. And well
it might, for sure it was much gentler than he deserved.[1]

[1] The Revolution in England, having necessarily raised great numbers
of individuals to the rank of officers, from the lowest stations, a
kind of equality reigned among the soldiery. The following instance of
that equality is a curious fact, and displays equally the republican
manners, and uncivilized spirit of that age.

Adjutant-General Jackson, who had been the first to run during the
engagement, was tried by a court-martial, convicted of cowardice,
cashiered with ignominy, and condemned to _serve as a_ SWABBER _on
board the hospital ship_!!—General Venables, with a naiveté common to
the writers of that age, which, though seldom respectable, is always
pleasing, makes the following observations on this sentence. After
mentioning the terms of it, he adds, “And justly,—for the benefit of
the sick and wounded, who owed their sufferings to his mis-behaviour.
A sentence too gentle for so notorious an offender, against whom some
of the Colonels made a complaint for _whoring_ and drunkenness at
Barbadoes; but not being able to _prove_ the fact, he escaped; though
considering his former course of life, the presumptions were _strong_,
he and a woman lodging in one chamber, and not any other person with
either, _which was enough to induce a belief of his offence_, he,
having two wives in England, and standing guilty of forgery; all which
I desired Major-General Worsley in joining with me to acquaint his
Highness (Cromwell) with, that he might be taken off, and not suffered
to go with me, lest he should _bring a curse on us_, as I feared.
But his Highness would not hear us.—After this, both perjury and
forgery were proved against him, in the case of a Colonel or General,
at Barbadoes, ruined by him, by that means. Upon the complaint, and
with the advice of the said General, I rebuked him privately; which
he took so distastely, that as it afterwards appeared, he studied and
endeavoured nothing but mutiny; and found fit matter to work upon, as
with an army that has neither pay nor pillage, arms nor ammunition,
nor victuals, is not difficult: but this I came to understand
afterwards.”—VENABLES’ _Narrative_.

A serjeant also, who in the skirmish threw down his arms, crying,
“gentlemen, shift for yourselves, we are all lost;” and ran away, was
hanged. Other offences met with meet punishments.

Now the business was, to consult what was next to be done. Commissioner
Winslow came ashore to press for a third attempt, which the officers of
the army would not be persuaded to undertake; for they all, with one
consent, declared they would not lead on their men, saying, they would
never be got to march up to that place again; or if they did, they
would not follow them to a charge, but they freely offered to regiment
themselves, and to live and die together. Whereupon, the Commissioners
judging it needful to try to raise the soldiers by some success in a
smaller exploit, resolved to attempt some other plantation, and at last
Jamaica was pitched on to be the place.

During this debate, the soldiers on land were in great want and
streights; for though all their provision was spent, yet Penn forbade
any supply to be sent them from the fleet, that their scarcity, yea,
famine, grew so high, that they ate all the horses, asses, and dogs
in the camp; yea, some ate such poisonous food, that they fell dead
instantaneously. But beyond all this, a motion was made, that setting
sail for England, the soldiers, whom they of the fleet usually called
dogs, should be left ashore to the mercy of the enemy; which motion,
Venables in behalf of the land-men, stiffly opposed, detesting so great
inhumanity. Yet the soldiers were so apprehensive of such a trick, that
when they came to go aboard, their officers would not suffer the sea
regiment, which was on shore, to be first shipped, lest they should be
so left in the lurch.

The fifth day after they set sail from Hispaniola, they came before
Jamaica, where remembering the cowardice of the soldiers, which if not
experienced, would scarce have been believed so great in Englishmen,
they published an order against runaways, that the next man to any that
offered to run, should kill him, or be tried for his own life. Which
done, Penn and Venables placed themselves in the martin galley, and
sailed up to the fort, and played upon it with their great guns, as it
did upon them all the time that the soldiers were getting into the flat
bottomed boats. Which so soon as they had done, a fresh gale of wind
arose, which drove the boats directly upon the fort; this the Spaniards
seeing, and a major, their best soldier, being disabled by a shot from
the martin galley, they were so daunted that they took to their heels,
and left the fort to the English. The army finding fresh water here,
and fearing to advance further, lest (it being then three o’clock)
they should in a strange country, and without guides, be inconveniently
overtaken with night, in some place where they might be more exposed
to the enemies assaults, and beating up their quarters, they resolved
to stay at that fort, and landing place that night, and rest their
weak and sick men. Next morning they marched early, and about noon,
came to a Savanna near the chief town of the island, St. Jago, where
two or three Spaniards appeared at a distance, making some signals of
civility. The like number of English was sent to them, upon which they
rode away, but making a stand, one was sent to them to know what they
desired; they answered, ‘a treaty.’ The English, replied, they would
treat when they saw any impowered thereunto. After some time, a priest
and a major were sent from the town. The English as an introduction
to the treaty, first demanded to have one hundred cows, with cassavia
bread proportionably, sent them immediately; and so daily while the
treaty lasted. Cows were sent in, but no bread; that being, as they
said, scarce with them. Whereupon Commissioners were appointed on both
sides to treat, and in conclusion, the Spaniards yielded to render the
island and all in it, and all ships in the havens unto the English; the
Spaniards and inhabitants having their lives granted them, and such as
would, to be at liberty by a certain day to depart the island, but to
take nothing, save their wearing apparel, and their books, and writings
with them.

Articles of agreement to this purpose being signed on both sides, the
English for their true performance, demanded and had the Governor
of the island, and the Spanish Commissioners for hostages; and so
they seemed to be in a fair way of settlement, with little ado. Yet
after this, a colonel among the Spaniards, who had no good will
to the governor, and was a man of interest among the commonalty,
persuaded them to drive all the cattle away to the mountains, and
thereby starve out the English. Which being understood, one of the
Spanish Commissioners, Don Acosta, a Portuguese, sent his priest, an
understanding negro, to dissuade them from their purpose. But they
being resolute, and instigated by the colonel, hanged the negro, which
enraged Acosta, and to be revenged on them for the death of his priest,
whom he loved, advised the English that the cattle must necessarily, in
a while, come down into the plains to drink. And by his direction, the
English recovered the cattle, and prevented their mischief.

After this an order was published, that no private soldier should go
out to shoot cows, which was done for two reasons; first, because the
soldiers straggling about and going single, were often knocked on the
head; and next, because they maimed and marred more than they killed;
for it being a very woody country, unless a beast was shot dead, which
was but seldom done, it escaped its pursuer, though it often died of
its wounds; and many hundreds were found in the woods that had been
so slain, and very many running about hurt and wounded. Thus great
destruction was made of them, to no bodies advantage, that in the end,
they must need have smarted for the want of those which had been thus
lavishly spoiled and lost. Besides, the cattle which at their first
coming, were seen by great numbers, and so tame, that they might have
been easily managed and driven up, were so affrighted by the soldiers
disorderly chasing and shouting after them, that they were now grown
wild and untractable. And therefore, commanded parties with their
officers were thenceforwards ordered out to fetch in cattle as there
was need; and by that means they were sufficiently supplied, and no
waste made. But bread they still much wanted, for their own store ships
not having yet reached them, they had no bread but what came from the
fleet, whence it was very sparingly sent, and scarce any but what was
bad and corrupt. I find it noted, that in seventeen days time, they had
but three biscuits a man; that they could seldom get any thing from
the fleet, unless the Commissioner would sign remittances for greater
proportions than were indeed delivered; that of above a hundred tuns of
brandy, which was put on board in England for this service, and above
thirty tuns more taken in at Barbadoes, it could not be observed, that
the land-men ever had ten tuns to their use, between the middle of
April and the middle of July. So that the soldiers being put to feed
wholly on fresh flesh and fruits, without either brandy, or any kind of
bread; and that after they had been long at a scanty diet, upon salt
meats, it hugely increased sickness among them, insomuch, that after
their coming to Jamaica, they died by fifty, sixty, and sometimes a
hundred in a week, of fevers and fluxes.

Their streights and distresses being so great, put them on necessity
of hastening to distribute the soldiers to plant for themselves, that
they might have somewhat of their own to subsist on, without depending
on the courtesy of others. And accordingly several of the regiment were
dispersed into several places; but though such was their occasion, each
for his particular private goods and necessaries, yet they could not
without much difficulty, and many fruitless labours, obtain to have
their trunks and stuff ashore to them; and many never had them at all,
but they were carried back with the fleet into England.

Some discontents grew among the great ones. Venables telling
Commissioner Butler of his drunkenness, which he was often guilty of,
and in that condition, had discovered too much to the Spaniards, and
reproving him for it, made him his enemy, and to practise against him,
and thenceforwards he endeavoured to make factions, and raise disgusts
in the army.

Penn gave notice of his intentions, suddenly to set sail for England,
and would not be dissuaded.

       *       *       *       *       *

Here the manuscript ends, but in continuation, Oldmixon[2] observes,
that “they arrived in England in September, when they were both
imprisoned for their scandalous conduct in this expedition, which
would have been an irreparable dishonour to the English Nation, had
not the island of Jamaica, which chance more than council, bestowed
upon them, made amends for the loss at Hispaniola.” Their imprisonment
would seem to have received general approbation, as in certain Passages
of Every Dayes Intelligence, from Sept. 21 to 28, 1655, published
by authority, it is said, “Gov. Penn and Gen. Venables, would be
petitioning his Highnes, the Lord Protector for their enlargement
out of the Tower again; but it is a little too soon yet; it were not
amiss that they stayed till we hear again from the West Indies.” His
subsequent liberation, and the particulars of his life after this
period, with the time of his decease, and his residence when he quitted
the cares of this world, are alike unknown to the writer, and have
baffled all attempts at discovery.

[2] _British Empire in America_, 1740, 8vo.

[Illustration: _THE Experienc’d Angler, or Angling Improved._

_Sold by Rich: Marriott in S^t Dunstans Church-yard._

_Vaughan Sculp._ ]




THE Experienced Angler:

OR ANGLING IMPROVED.

_BEING_

_A general Discourse of Angling_;

Imparting many of the aptest wayes and choicest Experiments for the
taking of most sorts of Fish in Pond or River.

_LONDON_:

Printed for _Richard Marriot_, and are to be sold at his Shop in St.
_Dunstan’s_ Church-yard, _Fleet-street_. 1662.




PREFATORY ADDRESS TO THE READER, FROM THE EDITION OF MDCLXII.




PREFATORY ADDRESS.


Delight and Pleasure are so fast rivetted and firmly rooted in the
heart of man, that I suppose there are none so morose or melancholy,
that will not only pretend to, but plead for an interest in the same,
most being so much enamoured therewith, that they judge that life but a
living death, which is wholly deprived or abridged of all pleasure; and
many pursue the same with so much eagerness and importunity, as though
they had been born for no other end, as that they not only consume
their most precious time, but also totally ruin their estates thereby:
for in this loose and licentious age, when profuse prodigality passes
for the characteristical mark of true generosity and frugality, I mean
not niggardliness; is branded with the ignominious blot of baseness. I
expect not that this under-valued subject, though it propound delight
at an easy rate, will meet with any other entertainment than neglect,
if not contempt, it being an art which few take pleasure in, nothing
passing for noble or delightful which is not costly; as though men
could not gratify their senses, but with the consumption of their
fortunes.

_Hawking_ and _Hunting_ have had their excellencies celebrated with
large _encomiums_ by divers pens, and although I intend not any
undervaluing to those noble recreations, so much famed in all ages
and by all degrees, yet I must needs affirm, that they fall not within
the compass of every ones ability to pursue, being as it were only
entailed on great persons and vast estates; for if meaner fortunes
seek to enjoy them, _Actæon’s_ fable often proves a true story, and
these birds of prey not seldom quarry upon their masters: besides those
recreations are most subject to choler and passion, by how much those
creatures exceed a hook or line in worth: and indeed in those exercises
our pleasure depends much upon the will and humour of a sullen cur or
_kite_, (as I have heard their own passions phrase them); which also
require much attendance, care and skill to keep her serviceable to our
ends. Further, these delights are often prejudicial to the husbandman
in his corn, grass and fences; but in this pleasant and harmless Art
of Angling a man hath none to quarrel with but himself, and we are
usually so entirely our own friends, as not to retain an irreconcilable
hatred against ourselves, but can in short time easily compose the
enmity; and besides ourselves none are offended, none endamaged; and
this recreation falleth within the capacity of the lowest fortune to
compass, affording also profit as well as pleasure, in following of
which exercise a man may employ his thoughts in the noblest studies,
almost as freely as in his closet.

The minds of anglers being usually more calm and composed than many
others, especially hunters and falconers, who too frequently lose their
delight in their passion, and too often bring home more of melancholy
and discontent than satisfaction in their thoughts; but the angler,
when he hath the worst success, loseth but a hook or line, or perhaps,
what he never possessed, a fish; and suppose he should take nothing,
yet he enjoyeth a delightful walk by pleasant rivers in sweet pastures,
amongst odoriferous flowers, which gratify his senses and delight his
mind; which contentments induce many, who affect not angling, to choose
those places of pleasure for their Summer’s recreation and health.

But, peradventure, some may alledge that this art is mean, melancholy,
and insipid; I suppose the old answer, _de gustibus non est
disputandum_, will hold as firmly in recreations as palates, many
have supposed Angling void of delight, having never tried it, yet
have afterwards experimented it so full of content, that they have
quitted all other recreations, at least in its season, to pursue it;
and I do pursuade myself, that whosoever shall associate himself with
some honest expert angler, who will freely and candidly communicate
his skill unto him, will in short time be convinced, that _Ars non
habet inimicum nisi ignorantem_; and the more any experiment its
harmless delight, not subject to passion or expence, he will probably
be induced to relinquish those pleasures which being obnoxious to
choler or contention so discompose the thoughts, that nothing during
that unsettlement can relish or delight the mind; to pursue that
recreation which composeth the soul to that calmness and serenity,
which gives a man the fullest possession and fruition of himself
and all his enjoyments; this clearness and equanimity of spirit
being a matter of so high a concern and value in the judgments of
many profound Philosophers, as any one may see that will bestow the
pains to read, _de Tranquilitate Animi_, and _Petrarch de Utriusque
Conditionis Statu_: Certainly he that lives _Sibi et Deo_, leads the
most happy life; and if this art do not dispose and incline the mind
of man to a quiet calm sedateness, I am confident it doth not, as many
other delights; cast blocks and rubs before him to make his way more
difficult and less pleasant. The cheapness of the recreation abates
not its pleasure, but with rational persons heightens it; and if it
be delightful the charge of melancholy falls upon that score, and if
example, which is the best proof, may sway any thing, I know no sort
of men less subject to melancholy than anglers; many have cast off
other recreations and embraced it, but I never knew any angler wholly
cast off, though occasions might interrupt, their affections to their
beloved recreation; and if this art may prove a _Noble brave rest_
to thy mind, it will be satisfaction to his, who is thy well-wishing
Friend.


[Illustration]




ANGLING IMPROVED:

OR

PROFIT AND PLEASURE UNITED.




CHAP. I.

WHEN TO PROVIDE TOOLS, AND HOW TO MAKE THEM.


For the attaining of such ends which our desires propose to themselves,
of necessity we must make use of such common mediums as have a natural
tendency to the producing of such effects as are in our eye, and at
which we aim; and as in any work, if one principal material be wanting,
the whole is at a stand, neither can the same be perfected: so in
Angling, the end being recreation, which consisteth in drawing the
fish to bite, that we may take them; if you want tools, though you
have baits, or baits, though you have tackle, yet you have no part
of pleasure by either of these singly: nay, if you have both, yet
want skill to use them, all the rest is to little purpose. I shall
therefore first begin with your tools, and so proceed in order with the
rest.

1. In Autumn, when the leaves are almost or altogether fallen, which
is usually about the Winter solstice, the sap being then in the root;
which about the middle of January begins to ascend again, and then the
time is past to provide yourself with stocks or tops: you need not be
so exactly curious for your stocks as the tops, though I wish you to
choose the neatest taper-grown you can for stocks, but let your tops be
the most neat rush-grown shoots you can get, straight and smooth; and
if for the ground-rod, near or full two yards long, the reason for that
length shall be given presently; and if for the fly, of what length
you please, because you must either choose them to fit the stock, or
the stock to fit them in a most exact proportion; neither do they need
to be so very much taper-grown as those for the ground, for if your
rod be not most exactly proportionable, as well as slender, it will
neither cast well, strike readily, or ply and bend equally, which will
very much endanger your line. When you have fitted yourself with tops
and stocks, for all must be gathered in one season, if any of them
be crooked, bind them all together, and they will keep one another
straight; or lay them on some even-boarded floor, with a weight on the
crooked parts, or else bind them close to some straight staff or pole;
but before you do this you must bathe them all, save the very top, in a
gentle fire.

For the ground angle, I prefer the cane or reed before all other, both
for its length and lightness: and whereas some object against its
colour and stiffness, I answer, both these inconveniences are easily
remedied; the colour by covering it with thin leather or parchment,
and those dyed into what colour you please; or you may colour the
cane itself, as you see daily done by those that sell them in London,
especially if you scrape off the shining yellow outside, but that
weakens the rod. The stiffness of the cane is helped by the length and
strength of the top, which I would wish to be very much taper-grown,
and of the full length I spoke of before, and so it will kill a very
good fish without ever straining the cane, which will, as you may
observe, yield and bend a little; neither would I advise any to use a
reed that will not receive a top of the fore-mentioned length. Such
who most commend the hazel-rod, (which I also value and praise, but
for different reasons), above the cane; do it because, say they, the
slender rod saveth the line; but my opinion is, that the equal bending
of the rod chiefly, next to the skill of the Angler, saveth the line,
and the slenderness I conceive principally serveth to make the fly-rod
long and light, easy to be managed with one hand, and casteth the fly
far, which are to me the considerations chiefly to be regarded in a
fly-rod; for if you observe the slender part of the rod, if strained,
shoots forth in length as if it were part of the line, so that the
whole stress or strength of the fish is borne or sustained by the
thicker part of the rod, which is no stronger than the stronger end of
such a top as I did before direct for the ground-rod, and you may prove
what I say to be true, if you hang a weight at the top of the fly-rod,
which you shall see ply and bend, in the stiff and thick part, more
or less as the weight is heavy or light. Having made this digression
for the cane, I return to the making up of the top, of which at the
upper or small end, I would have you to cut off about two feet, or
three quarters of a yard at most; and then piece neatly to the thick
remaining part, a small shoot of black thorn or crab tree, gathered in
due season as before, fitted in a most exact proportion to the hazel,
and then cut off a small part of the slender end of the black thorn or
crab tree, and lengthen out the same with a small piece of whale-bone,
made round, smooth, and taper; all which will make your rod to be very
long, gentle, and not so apt to break or stand bent as the hazel, both
which are great inconveniences, especially breaking, which will force
you from your sport to mend your top.

2. To teach the way or manner how to make a line, were time lost, it
being so easy and ordinary; yet to make the line well, handsome, and to
twist the hair even and neat, makes the line strong. For if one hair
be long and another short, the short one receiveth no strength from
the long one, and so breaketh, and then the other, as too weak, breaks
also; therefore you must twist them slowly, and in the twisting, keep
them from entangling together, which hinders their right plaiting or
bedding. Further, I do not like the mixing of silk or thread with hair,
but if you please, you may, to make the line strong, make it all of
silk, or thread, or hair, as strong as you please, and the lowest part
of the smallest lute or viol strings, which I have proved to be very
strong, but will quickly rot in the water, you may however help that
in having new and strong ones to change for those that decay; but as
to hair, the most usual matter whereof lines are made, I like sorrel,
white, and grey best; sorrel in muddy and boggy rivers, and both the
latter for clear waters. I never could find such virtue or worth in
other colours, to give them so high praise as some do, yet if any other
have worth in it, I must yield it to the pale or watery green, and if
you fancy that, you may dye it thus. Take a pottle of allum water, and
a large handful of marigolds, boil them until a yellow scum arise, then
take half a pound of green copperas, and as much verde-grease, beat
them into a fine powder, then put those with the hair into the allum
water, set all to cool for twelve hours, then take out the hair and lay
it to dry. Leave a bought, or bout, at both ends of the line, the one
to put it to, and take it from your rod, the other to hang your lowest
link upon, to which your hook is fastened, and so that you may change
your hook as often as you please.

3. Let your hooks be long in the shank, and of a compass somewhat
inclining to roundness, but the point must stand even and straight, and
the bending must be in the shank; for if the shank be straight, the
point will hang outward, though when set on it may stand right, yet
it will after the taking of a few fish, cause the hair at the end of
the shank to stand bent, and so, consequently cause the point of the
hook to lie or hang too much outward, whereas upon the same ground the
bending shank will then cause the point of the hook to hang directly
upwards.

When you set on your hook, do it with strong but small silk, and lay
your hair upon the inside of the hook, for if on the outside the silk
will cut and fret it asunder; and to avoid the fretting of the hair by
the hook on the inside, smooth all your hooks upon a whetstone, from
the inside to the back of the hook, slope ways.

4. Get the best cork you can without flaws or holes, as quills and pens
are not of sufficient strength in strong streams; bore the cork through
with a small hot iron, then put into it a quill of a fit proportion,
neither too large to split it, or so small as to slip out, but so as
it may stick in very closely; then pare your cork into the form of a
pyramid, or small pear, and of what size you please, then on a smooth
grindstone, or with pumice make it complete, for you cannot pare it so
smooth as you may grind it: have corks of all sizes.

5. Get a musquet or carbine bullet, make a hole through it, and put in
a strong twist, hang this on your hook to try the depth of river or
pond.

6. Take so much parchment as will be about four inches broad, and five
long, make the longer end round, then take so many pieces more as will
make five or six partitions, sew them all together, leaving the side of
the longest square open, to put your lines, spare links, hooks ready
fastened, and flies ready made, into the several partitions; this will
contain much, and will also lie flat and close in your pocket.

7. Have also a little whetstone about two inches long, and one quarter
square; it’s much better to sharpen your hooks than a file, which
either will not touch a well-tempered hook, or leave it rough but not
sharp.

8. Have a piece of cane for the bob and palmer, with several boxes of
divers sizes for your hooks, corks, silk, thread, lead, flies, &c.

9. Bags of linen and woollen, for all sorts of baits.

10. Have a small pole, made with a loop at the end, like that of your
line, but much larger, to which must be fastened a small net, to land
great fish, without which, should you want assistance, you will be in
danger of losing.

11. Your pannier cannot be too light; I have seen some made of osiers,
cleft into slender long splinters, and so wrought up, which is very
neat, and exceeding light: you must ever carry with you store of hooks,
lines, hair, silk, thread, lead, links, corks of all sizes, lest you
should lose or break, as is usual, any of them, and be forced to leave
your sport in quest of supplies.




CHAP. II.

DIVERS SORTS OF ANGLING; FIRST, OF THE FLY.


As there are many kinds and sorts of fish, so there are also various
and different ways to take them; and, therefore, before we proceed to
speak how to take each kind, we must say something in general of the
several ways of angling, as necessary to the better order of our work.

Angling, therefore, may be distinguished either into fishing by day,
or, which some commend, but the cold and dews caused me to dis-relish
that which impaired my health, by night; and these again are of two
sorts, either upon the superficies of the water, or more or less under
the surface thereof: of this sort is angling with the ground-line, with
lead, but no float, for the Trout, or with lead and float for all sorts
of fish, or near the surface of the water for Chub, Roach, &c. or with
a troll for the Pike, or a minnow for the Trout; of which more in due
place.

That way of angling upon or above the water, is with cankers, palmers,
caterpillars, cad-bait, or any worm bred on herbs or trees, or with
flies as well natural as artificial; of these last shall be our first
discourse, as comprising much of the other last-named, and as being the
most pleasant and delightful part of angling.

But I must here beg leave to dissent from the opinion of such who
assign a certain fly to each month, whereas I am certain, scarce
any one sort of fly continues its colour and virtue one month; and
generally all flies last a much shorter time, except the stone-fly, by
some called the May-fly, which is bred of the water cricket, creeps out
of the river, and getting under the stones by the water side, turns to
a fly, and lies under the stones; the May-fly and the reddish fly with
ashy grey wings. Besides the season of the year may much vary the time
of their coming in; a forward Spring brings them in sooner, and a late
Spring the later. Flies being creatures bred of putrefaction, take life
as the heat furthers or disposes the seminal virtue by which they are
generated into animation: and therefore all I can say as to time is,
that your own observation must be your best instructor, when is the
time that each fly comes in, and will be most acceptable to the fish,
of which I shall speak more fully in the next section. Further also I
have observed, that several rivers and soils produce several sorts of
flies; as the mossy boggy soils have one sort peculiar to them; the
clay soil, gravely and mountainous country and rivers; and a mellow
light soil different from them all; yet some sorts are common to all
these sorts of rivers and soils, but they are few, and differ somewhat
in colour from those bred elsewhere in other soils.

In general, all sorts of flies are very good in their season, for such
fish as will rise at the fly, viz. Salmon, Trout, Umber, Grayling,
Bleak, Chevin, Roach, Dace, &c. Though some of these fish do love some
flies better than other, except the fish named, I know not any sort or
kind that will ordinarily and freely rise at the fly, though I know
some who angle for Bream and Pike with artificial flies, but I judge
the labour lost, and the knowledge a needless curiosity; those fish
being taken much easier, especially the Pike, by other ways. All the
fore-mentioned sorts of fish will sometimes take the fly much better at
the top of the water, and at another time much better a little under
the superficies of the water; and in this your own observation must
be your constant and daily instructor; for if they will not rise to
the top, try them under, it being impossible, in my opinion, to give
any certain rule in this particular: also the five sorts of fish first
named will take the artificial fly, so will not the other, except an
oak-worm or cad-bait be put on the point of the hook, or some other
worm suitable, as the fly must be, to the season.

You may also observe, what my own experience taught me, that the fish
never rise eagerly and freely at any sort of fly, until that kind come
to the water’s side; for though I have often, at the first coming in of
some flies, which I judged they liked best got several of them, yet I
could never find that they did much, if at all value them, until those
sorts of flies began to flock to the rivers sides, and were to be found
on the trees and bushes there in great numbers; for all sorts of flies,
wherever bred, do, after a certain time, come to the banks of rivers,
I suppose to moisten their bodies dried with the heat; and from the
bushes and herbs there, skip and play upon the water, where the fish
lie in wait for them, and after a short time die, and are not to be
found: though of some kinds there come a second sort afterwards, but
much less, as the orange fly; and when they thus flock to the river,
then is the best season to angle with that fly. And that thou may the
better find what fly they covet most at that instant, do thus:

When you come first to the river in the morning, with your rod beat
upon the bushes or boughs which hang over the water, and by their
falling upon the water you will see what sorts of flies are there in
greatest numbers; if divers sorts, and equal in number, try them all,
and you will quickly find which they most desire. Sometimes they change
their fly; though not very usual, twice or thrice in one day; but
ordinarily they do not seek another sort of fly till they have for some
days even glutted themselves with a former kind, which is commonly when
those flies die and go out. Directly contrary to our London gallants,
who must have the first of every thing, when hardly to be got, but
scorn the same when kindly ripe, healthful, common, and cheap; but the
fish despise the first, and covet when plenty, and when that sort grow
old and decay, and another cometh in plentifully, then they change;
as if nature taught them, that every thing is best in its own proper
season, and not so desirable when not kindly ripe, or when through long
continuance it begins to lose its native worth and goodness.

I shall add a few cautions and directions in the use of the natural
fly, and then proceed:

1. When you angle for Chevin, Roach, or Dace, with the fly, you must
not move your fly swiftly; when you see the fish coming towards it,
but rather after one or two short and slow removes, suffer the fly to
glide gently with the stream towards the fish; or if in a standing or
very slow water, draw the fly slowly, and not directly upon him, but
sloping and sidewise by him, which will make him more eager lest it
escape him; for, should you move it nimbly and quick, they will not,
being fish of slow motion, follow as the Trout will.

2. When Chub, Roach, or Dace shew themselves in a sun-shiny day upon
the top of the water, they are most easily caught with baits proper for
them; and you may chuse from amongst them which you please to take.

3. They take an artificial fly with a cad-bait, or oak-worm, on the
point of the hook; and the oak-worm, when they shew themselves is,
better upon the water than under, or than the fly itself, and is more
desired by them.




CHAP. III.

OF THE ARTIFICIAL FLY.


Having given these few directions for the use of the natural fly of all
sorts, and shewed the time and season of their coming, and how to find
them, and cautioned you in the use of them, I shall proceed to treat
of the artificial fly. But here I must premise, that it is much better
to learn how to make a fly by sight, than by any written direction
that can possibly be expressed, in regard the terms of art do in most
parts of England differ, and also several sorts of flies are called
by different names; some call the fly bred of the water cricket or
creeper a May-fly, and some a stone-fly; some call the cad-bait fly
a May, and some call a short fly, of a sad golden green colour, with
short brown wings, a May-fly: and I see no reason but all flies bred
in May, are properly enough called May-flies. Therefore, except some
one that hath skill, would paint them, I can neither well give their
names nor describe them, without too much trouble and prolixity; nor,
as I alledged, in regard of the variety of soils and rivers, describe
the flies that are bred and frequent each: but the angler, as before
directed, having found the fly which the fish at present affect,
let him make one as like it as possibly he can, in colour, shape,
proportion; and for his better imitation let him lay the natural fly
before him. All this premised and considered, let him go on to make his
fly, which according to my own practice I thus advise.

First, I begin to set on my hook, placing the hair on the inside of its
shank, with such coloured silk as I conceive most proper for the fly,
beginning at the end of the hook, and when I come to that place which I
conceive most proportionable for the wings, then I place such coloured
feathers there, as I apprehend most resemble the wings of the fly,
and set the points of the wings towards the head; or else I run the
feathers, and those must be stripped from the quill or pen, with part
of it still cleaving to the feathers, round the hook, and so make them
fast, if I turn the feathers round the hook; then I clip away those
that are upon the back of the hook, that so, if it be possible, the
point of the hook may be forced by the feathers left on the inside of
the hook, to swim upwards; and by this means I conceive the stream will
carry your flies’ wings in the posture of one flying; whereas if you
set the points of the wings backwards, towards the bending of the hook,
the stream, if the feathers be gentle as they ought, will fold the
points of the wings in the bending of the hook, as I have often found
by experience. After having set on the wing, I go on so far as I judge
fit, till I fasten all, and then begin to make the body, and the head
last; the body of the fly I make several ways; if the fly be one entire
colour, then I take a worsted thread, or moccoda end, or twist wool or
fur into a kind of thread, or wax a small slender silk thread, and lay
wool, fur, &c. upon it, and then twist, and the material will stick to
it, and then go on to make my fly small or large, as I please. If the
fly, as most are, be of several colours, and those running in circles
round the fly, then I either take two of these threads, fastening them
first towards the bend of the hook, and so run them round, and fasten
all at the wings, and then make the head; or else I lay upon the hook,
wool, fur of hare, dog, fox, bear, cow, or hog, which, close to their
bodies, have a fine fur, and with a silk of the other colour bind the
same wool or fur down, and then fasten all: or instead of the silk
running thus round the fly, you may pluck the feather from one side of
those long feathers which grow about a cock or capon’s neck or tail,
by some called hackle; then run the same round your fly, from head to
tail, making both ends fast; but you must be sure to suit the feather
answerable to the colour you are to imitate in the fly; and this way
you may counterfeit those rough insects, which some call wool-beds,
because of their wool-like outside and rings of divers colours, though
I take them to be palmer worms, which the fish much delight in. Let me
add this only, that some flies have forked tails, and some have horns,
both which you must imitate with a slender hair fastened to the head or
tail of your fly, when you first set on your hook, and in all things,
as length, colour, as like the natural fly as possibly you can: the
head is made after all the rest of the body, of silk or hair, as being
of a more shining glossy colour than the other materials, as usually
the head of the fly is more bright than the body, and is usually of
a different colour from the body. Sometimes I make the body of the
fly with a peacock’s feather, but that is only one sort of fly, whose
colour nothing else that I could ever get would imitate, being the
short, sad, golden, green fly I before mentioned, which I make thus:
take one strain of a peacock’s feather, or if that be not sufficient,
then another, wrap it about the hook, till the body be according to
your mind; if your fly be of divers colours, and those lying long ways
from head to tail, then I take my dubbing, and lay them on the hook
long ways, one colour by another, as they are mixed in the natural fly,
from head to tail, then bind all on, and fasten them with silk of the
most predominant colour; and this I conceive is a more artificial way
than is practised by many anglers, who use to make such a fly, all of
one colour, and bind it on with silk, so that it looks like a fly with
round circles, but in nothing at all resembling the fly it is intended
for: the head, horns, tail, are made as before. That you may the better
counterfeit all sorts of flies, get furs of all sorts and colours you
can possibly procure, as of bear’s hair, foxes, cows, hogs, dogs, which
close to their bodies have a fine soft hair or fur, moccado ends,
crewels, and dyed wool of all colours, with feathers of cocks, capons,
hens, teals, mallards, widgeons, pheasants, partridges, the feather
under the mallard, teal or widgeon’s wings, and about their tails,
about a cock or capon’s neck and tail, of all colours; and generally
of all birds, the kite, &c. that you may make yours exactly of the
colour with the natural fly. And here I will give some cautions and
directions, as for the natural fly, and so pass on to baits for angling
at the ground.

1. When you angle with the artificial fly, you must either fish in
a river not fully cleared from some rain lately fallen, that had
discoloured it; or in a moorish river, discoloured by moss or bogs;
or else in a dark cloudy day, when a gentle gale of wind moves the
water; but if the wind be high, yet so as you may guide your tools with
advantage, they will rise in the plain deeps, and then and there you
will commonly kill the best fish; but if the wind be little or none at
all, you must angle in the swift streams.

2. You must keep your artificial fly in continual motion, though the
day be dark, the water muddy, and the wind blow, or else the fish will
discern and refuse it.

3. If you angle in a river that is mudded by rain, or passing through
mosses or bogs, you must use a larger bodied fly than ordinary, which
argues, that in clear rivers the fly must be smaller; and this not
being observed by some, hinders their sport, and they impute their want
of success to their want of the right fly, when perhaps they have it,
but made too large.

4. If the water be clear and low, then use a small bodied fly with
slender wings.

5. When the water begins to clear after rain, and is of a brownish
colour, then a red or orange fly.

6. If the day be clear, then a light coloured fly, with slender body
and wings.

7. In dark weather, as well as dark waters, your fly must be dark.

8. If the water be of a whey colour, or whitish, then use a black or
brown fly: yet these six last rules do not always hold, though usually
they do, or else I had omitted them.

9. Observe principally the belly of the fly, for that colour the fish
observe most, as being most in their eye.

10. When you angle with an artificial fly, your line may be twice the
length of your rod, except the river be much encumbered with wood and
trees.

11. For every sort of fly have three; one of a lighter colour, another
sadder than the natural fly, and a third of the exact colour with the
fly, to suit all waters and weathers, as before.

12. I never could find, by any experience of mine own, or other man’s
observation, that fish would freely and eagerly rise at the artificial
fly, in any slow muddy rivers: by muddy rivers, I mean such rivers,
the bottom or ground of which is slime or mud; for such as are mudded
by rain, as I have already, and shall afterwards further, shew at
sometimes and seasons I would choose to angle, yet in standing meers
or sloughs, I have known them, in a good wind, to rise very well, but
not so in slimy rivers, either the Weever, in Cheshire, or the Sow, in
Staffordshire, and others in Warwickshire, &c. and the Black-water in
Ulster; in the last, after many trials, though in its best streams, I
could never find almost any sport, save at its influx in Lough Neagh;
but there the working of the Lough makes it sandy; and they will bite
also near Tom Shane’s Castle, Mountjoy, Antrim, &c. even to admiration;
yet sometimes they will rise in that river a little, but not comparable
to what they will do in every little Lough, in any small gale of wind.
And though I have often reasoned in my own thoughts, to search out the
true cause of this, yet I could never so fully satisfy my own judgment,
so as to conclude any thing positively; yet have taken up these two
ensuing particulars as most probable.

1. I conjectured the depth of the loughs might hinder the force of the
sun beams from operating upon, or heating the mud in those rivers,
which though deep, yet are not so deep as the loughs; I apprehend that
to be the cause, as in great droughts fish bite but little in any
river, but not at all in slimy rivers, in regard the mud is not cooled
by the constant and swift motion of the river, as in gravelly or sandy
rivers, where, in fit seasons, they rise most freely, and bite most
eagerly, save as before in droughts, notwithstanding at that season
some sport may be had, though not with the fly, whereas nothing at all
will be done in muddy slow rivers.

2. My second supposition was, whether, according to that old received
axiom, suo quæque, similima cœlo, the fish might not partake of the
nature of the river, in which they are bred and live, as we see in
men born in fenny, boggy, low, moist grounds, and thick air, who
ordinarily want that present quickness, vivacity, and activity of body
and mind, which persons born in dry, hilly, sandy soils and clear air,
are usually endued withal. The fish participating of the nature of the
muddy river, which is ever slow, for if they were swift, the stream
would cleanse them from all mud, are not so quick, lively, and active,
as those bred in swift, sandy, or stony rivers, and so coming to the
fly with more deliberation, discern the same to be counterfeit, and
forsake it; whereas, on the contrary, in stony, sandy, swift rivers,
being colder, the fish are more active, and so more hungry and eager,
the stream and hand keeping the fly in continual motion, they snap the
same up without any pause, lest so desirable a morsel escape them.

You must have a very quick eye, a nimble rod and hand, and strike with
the rising of the fish, or he instantly finds his mistake, and forces
out the hook again: I could never, my eye-sight being weak, discern
perfectly where my fly was, the wind and stream carrying it so to and
again, that the line was never any certain direction or guide to me;
but if I saw a fish rise, I use to strike if I discerned it might be
within the length of my line.

Be sure in casting, that your fly falls first into the water, for if
the line falls first, it scares or frightens the fish; therefore draw
it back, and cast it again, that the fly may fall first.

When you try how to fit your colour to the fly, wet your fur, hair,
wool, or moccado, otherwise you will fail in your work; for though when
they are dry, they exactly suit the colour of the fly, yet the water
will alter most colours, and make them lighter or darker.

The best way to angle with the cad-bait, is to fish with it on the top
of the water, as you do with the fly; it must stand upon the shank of
the hook, in like manner with the artificial fly; if it come into the
bend of the hook, the fish will little or not at all value it, nor if
you pull the blue gut out of it; and to make it keep that place, you
must, when you set on your hook, fasten a horse hair or two under the
silk, with the ends standing a very little out from under the silk, and
pointing towards the line; this will keep it from sliding back into the
bend; and thus used, it is a most excellent bait for a Trout. You may
imitate the cad-bait, by making the body of chamois, the head of black
silk.

I might here notice several sorts of flies, with the colours that are
used to make them; but for the reasons before given, that their colours
alter in several rivers and soils, and also because, though I name the
colours, yet it is not easy to choose that colour by any description,
except so largely performed as would be over large, and swell this
small piece beyond my intended conciseness, which are easy and short,
if rightly observed, are full enough, and sufficient for making and
finding out all sorts of flies in all rivers. I shall only add, that
the Salmon flies must be made with wings standing one behind the other,
whether two or four; also he delights in the most gaudy and orient
colours you can choose; the wings I mean chiefly, if not altogether,
with long tails and wings.




CHAP. IV.

OF ANGLING AT THE GROUND.


Now we are come to the second part of angling, viz. under the water,
which if it be with the ground-line for the Trout, then you must not
use any float at all, only a plumb of lead, which I would wish might
be a small bullet, the better to roll on the ground; and it must also
be lighter or heavier, as the stream runs swift or slow, and you
must place it about nine inches or a foot from the hook; the lead
must run upon the ground, and you must keep your line as straight as
possible, yet by no means so as to raise the lead from the ground;
your top must be very gentle, that the fish may more easily, and to
himself insensibly, run away with the bait, and not be scared with
the stiffness of the rod; and if you make your top of black thorn and
whale-bone, as I before directed, it will conduce much to this purpose:
neither must you strike so soon as you feel the fish bite, but slack
your line a little, that so he may more securely swallow the bait, and
hook himself, which he will sometimes do, especially if he be a good
one; the least jerk, however, hooks him, and indeed you can scarce
strike too easily. Your tackle must be very fine and slender, and so
you will have more sport than if you had strong lines, which frighten
the fish, but the slender line is easily broke; with a small jerk.
Morning and evening are the best times for the ground-line for a Trout,
in clear weather and water, but in cloudy weather, or muddy water, you
may angle at ground all day.

2. You may also in the night angle for the Trout with two great garden
worms, hanging as equally in length as you can place them on your hook;
cast them from you as you would cast the fly, and draw them to you
again upon the top of the water, and not suffer them to sink; therefore
you must use no lead this way of angling; when you hear the fish rise,
give some time for him to gorge your bait, as at the ground, then
strike gently. If he will not take them at the top, add some lead, and
try at the ground, as in the day time; when you feel him bite, order
yourself as in day angling at the ground. Usually the best Trouts bite
in the night, and will rise in the still deeps, but not ordinarily in
the stream.

3. You may angle also with a minnow for the Trout, which you must put
on your hook thus: first, put your hook through the very point of his
lower chap, and draw it quite through; then put your hook in at his
mouth, and bring the point to his tail, then draw your line straight,
and it will bring him into a round compass, and close his mouth that no
water gets in, which you must avoid; or you may stitch up his mouth; or
you may, when you have set on your hook, fasten some bristles under the
silk, leaving the points about a straw’s breadth and half, or almost
half an inch standing out towards the line, which will keep him from
slipping back. You may also imitate the minnow as well as the fly, but
it must be done by an artist with the needle.

You must also have a swivel or turn, placed about a yard or more from
your hook, observing you need no lead on your line, for you must
continually draw your bait up the stream, near the top of the water.
If you strike a large Trout, and it should break either your hook or
line, or get off, then near to her hole, if you can discover it, or the
place you struck her, fix a short stick in the water, and with your
knife loose a small piece of the rind, so as you may lay your line in
it, and yet the bark be close enough to keep your line in, that it slip
not out, nor the stream carry it away: bait your hook with a garden
or lob-worm, your hook and line being very strong, let the bait hang
a foot from the stick, then fasten the other end of your line to some
stick or bough in the bank, and within one hour, you may be sure of
her, if all your tackle hold.

The next way of angling is with a troll for the Pike, which is very
delightful; you may buy your troll ready made, therefore I shall not
trouble myself to describe it, only let it have a winch to wind it
up withall. For this kind of fish, your tackle must be strong, your
rod must not be very slender at the top, where you must place a small
slender ring for your line to run through; let your line be silk, at
least two yards next the hook, and the rest of strong shoe-maker’s
thread; your hook double, and strongly armed with wire, for above a
foot; then with a probe or needle, you must draw the wire in at the
fish’s mouth and out at the tail, that so the hook may lie in the mouth
of the fish, and both the points on either side; upon the shank of the
hook fasten some lead very smooth, that it go into the fish’s mouth,
and sink her with the head downward, as though she had been playing on
the top of the water, and were returning to the bottom; your bait may
be small Roach, Dace, Gudgeon, Loach, or sometimes a Frog; your hook
thus baited, you must tie the tail of the fish close and fast to the
wire, or else with drawing to and again, the fish will rend off the
hook, or, which I judge neater, with a needle and strong thread, stitch
through the fish on either side the wire, and tie it very fast: all
being thus fitted, cast your fish up and down in such places as you
know Pike frequent, observing still, that he sink some depth before
you pull him up again. When the Pike rises, if it be not sunk deep,
you may see the water move, or at least you may feel him; then slacken
your line, and give him length enough to run away to his hold, whither
he will go directly, and there pouch it, ever beginning, as you may
observe, with the head swallowing that first, thus let him lie, until
you see the line move in the water, and then you may certainly conclude
he hath pouched your bait, and rangeth abroad for more; then with your
troll wind up your line, till you think you have it almost straight,
then with a smart jerk hook him, and make your pleasure to your
content. Some use no rod at all, but hold the line in links on their
hand, using lead and float. Others use a very great hook, with the hook
at the tail of the fish, and when the Pike rises, then they strike at
the first pull. Others put a strong string or thread in at the mouth
of the bait, and out at one of the gills; then over the head, and in
at the other gill, and so tie the bait to the hook, leaving a little
length of the thread or string betwixt the fish and the hook, that so
the Pike may turn the head of the bait, the better to swallow it, and
then as before; after some pause, strike. Some tie the bait-hook and
line to a bladder or bundle of flags, or bull-rushes, fastening the
line very gently in the cleft of a small stick, to hold the bait from
sinking more than its allowed length, half a yard. The stick must be
fastened to the bladder or flags, to which the line being tied, that it
may easily unfold and run to its length, and so give the Pike liberty
to run away with the bait, and by the bladder or flags, recover their
line again. You must observe this way to turn off your bait with the
wind or stream, that they may carry it away. Some use, for more sport,
if the Pike be a great one, to tie the same to the foot of a goose,
which the Pike, if large, will sometimes pull under the water. Before I
proceed to give you each sort of bait for every kind of fish, give me
leave to add a caution or two, for the ground-line and fishing, as I
did for the natural and artificial fly, and then we shall go on.

There are two ways of fishing for Eels, proper and peculiar to that
fish alone; the first is termed by some, angling for Eels, which is
thus: take a short strong rod, and exceeding strong line, with a
little compassed, but strong hook, which you must bait with a large
well-scoured red worm, then place the end of the hook very easily in
a cleft of a stick, that it may very easily slip out; with this stick
and hook thus baited, search for holes under stones, timbers, roots, or
about flood-gates; if there be a good Eel, give her time, and she will
take it; but be sure she has gorged it, and then you may conclude, if
your tackling hold, she is your own.

The other way is called bobbing for Eels, which is thus: take the
largest garden worms, scour them well, and with a needle run a very
strong thread or silk through them from end to end; take so many as
that at last you may wrap them about a board, for your hand will be
too narrow, a dozen times at least, then tie them fast with the other
two ends of the thread or silk, that they may hang in so many long
bouts or hanks; then fasten all to a strong cord, and something more
than a handful above the worms, fasten a plumb of lead, of about three
quarters of a pound, making your cord sure to a long and strong pole;
with these worms thus ordered, you must fish in a muddy water, and
you will feel the Eels tug strongly at them; when you think they have
swallowed them as far as they can, gently draw up your worms and Eels,
and when you have them near the top of the water, hoist them amain to
land; and thus you may take three or four at once, and good ones, if
there be store.

1. When you angle at ground, keep your line as straight as possible,
suffering none of it to lie in the water, because it hinders the nimble
jerk of the rod; but if, as sometimes it will happen, that you cannot
avoid but some little will lie in the water, yet keep it in the stream
above your float, by no means below it.

2. When you angle at ground for small fish, put two hooks to your line,
fastened together thus: lay the two hooks together, then draw the one
shorter than the other by nine inches, this will cause the other end
to over-reach as much, as the other is shorter at the hooks, then turn
that end back, and with a water-knot, in which you must make both the
links to fasten, tie them so as both links may hang close together,
and not come out at both ends of the knot. Then upon that link which
hangeth longest, fasten your lead near a foot above the hook; put upon
your hooks two different baits, and so you may try, with more ease
and less time, what bait the fish love best; and also very often, as
I have done, take two fish at once with one rod. You have also, by
this experience, one bait for such as feed close upon the ground, as
Gudgeon, Flounder, &c. and another for such as feed a little higher, as
Roach, Dace, &c.

3. Some use to lead their lines heavily, and to set their float about
a foot or more from the end of the rod, with a little lead to buoy it
up, and thus in violent swift streams, they avoid the offence of a
float, and yet perfectly discern the biting of the fish, and so order
themselves accordingly; but this has its inconvenience, viz. the lying
of the line in the water.

4. Give all fish time to gorge the bait, and be not over hasty, except
you angle with such tender baits as will not endure nibbling at, but
must upon every touch be struck at, as sheep’s blood and flies, which
are taken away at the first pull of the fish, and therefore enforce
you, at the first touch, to try your fortune.

Now we are to speak next of baits, more particularly proper for every
fish, wherein I shall observe this method, first to name the fish, then
the baits, according as my experience hath proved them grateful to the
fish; and to place them as near as I can in such order as they come
in season, though many of them are in season at one instant of time,
and equally good. I would not be understood, as if when a new bait
comes in, the old one were antiquated and useless; for I know the worm
lasts all the year, flies all the Summer, one sort of bob-worm all the
Winter, the other under cow-dung, in June and July; but I intimate that
some are found when others are not in rerum natura.




CHAP. V.

OF ALL SORTS OF BAITS FOR EACH KIND OF FISH, AND HOW TO FIND AND KEEP
THEM.


[Illustration: SALMON]

The SALMON takes the artificial fly very well; but you must use a
troll, as for the Pike, or he, being a strong fish, will hazard your
line, except you give him length: his flies must be much larger than
you use for other fish, the wings very long, two or four, behind one
another, with very long tails; his chiefest ground-bait a great garden
or lob-worm.

[Illustration: TROUT]

2. The TROUT takes all sorts of worms, especially brandlings; all sorts
of flies, the minnow, young frogs, marsh-worm, dock-worm, flag-worm,
all sorts of cad-bait, bob, palmers, caterpillars, gentles, wasps,
hornets, dores, bees, grasshoppers, cankers, and bark-worm; he is a
ravenous, greedy fish, and loveth a large bait at ground, and you must
fit him accordingly.

[Illustration: GRAYLING]

3. The UMBER, or GRAYLING, is generally taken with the same baits as
the Trout; he is an eager fish, biteth freely, and will rise often at
the same fly, if you prick him not.

[Illustration: BARBEL]

The BARBEL bites best at great red worms, well scoured in moss;
gentles, cheese, or paste, made of cheese with suet, maggots, and red
worms; feed much for this fish.

[Illustration: CARP]

4. CARP and TENCH love the largest red worms, the

[Illustration: TENCH]

especially if they smell much of tar; to which end you may, some small
time before you use them, take so many as you will use at that time,
and put them by themselves in a little tar, but let them not lie long
lest it kill them; paste also of all sorts, made with strong-scented
oils, tar, bread, grain boiled soft, maggots, gentles, marsh-worm,
flag-worm, especially; feed much and often for these fish.

[Illustration: PIKE]

The PIKE takes all sorts of baits, save the Fly, Gudgeon, Roach, Dace,

[Illustration: LOACH]

and young frogs in Summer. You may halter him thus: fasten a strong
line with a snare at the end of it to a pole, which if you go
circumspectly to work, he will permit you to put it over his head, and
then you must by strength, hoist him to land.

[Illustration: EEL]

EELS take great red worms, beef, wasps, guts of fowls, and the minnow.
Bait night-hooks for him with small Roach, the hook must lie in the
mouth of the fish, as for the Pike; this way takes the greatest Eels.

[Illustration: GUDGEON]

7. The GUDGEON, RUFF, and BLEAK, take the smallest red worms, cad-bait,
gentles, and wasps. The BLEAK takes the natural or artificial fly,
especially in the evening.

8. The RUFF taketh the same baits as the PEARCH, save that you must
have lesser worms, he being a smaller fish.

[Illustration: ROACH]

9. For ROACH and DACE take small worms, cad-bait, flies, bobs, sheep’s
blood, small white snails, all sorts of worms bred on herbs or trees,
paste, wasps, and gnats.

The BLEAK is an eager fish, and takes the same baits as the ROACH, only
they must be less. You may angle for him with as many hooks on your
line at once, as you can conveniently fasten on it.

10. The CHEVIN or CHUB, all sorts of earth-worms, bob, the minnow,
flies of all sorts, cad-bait, all sorts of worms bred on herbs and
trees, especially oak-worms, young frogs, wasps, bees, or grasshoppers,
on the top of the water; cheese, grain, beetles, a great brown fly
that lives on the oak, black snails, their bellies slit that the white
appear; he loves a large bait, as a wasp, colwort-worm, and then a wasp
altogether.

[Illustration: BREAM]

11. The BREAM takes red worms, especially those that are got at the
root of a great Dock, it lies wrapped up in a knot, or round clue;
paste, flag-worms, wasps, green-flies, butter-flies, or a grasshopper,
his legs being cut off.

12. FLOUNDER, SHAD, and MULLET, love red worms of all sorts, wasps, and
gentles.

As for the MINNOW, LOACH, BULL-HEAD, or

[Illustration: MILLER’S THUMB]

being usually children’s recreation, I once purposed to have omitted
them wholly, but considering they often are baits for better fish, as
Trout, Pike, Eel, &c. Neither could this discourse be general, if they
were omitted; and though I should wave mentioning them, yet I cannot
forget them, who have so often vexed me with their unwelcome eagerness;
for the

[Illustration: MINNOW]

will have a part in the play, if you come where he is; which is almost
every where, you need not seek him: I find him much oftener than I
desire, it is only in deep still places which he least frequents, and
is not over curious in his baits; any thing will serve that he can
swallow, and he will strain hard for what he cannot gorge: but chiefly
likes small red worms, cad-bait, worms bred on trees, and wasps.

The LOACH and BULL-HEAD are much of the same diet; but their principal
bait is small red worms.

Having spoken before of pastes, I shall now shew how you may make the
same; and though there be as many kinds as men have fancies, yet I
esteem these best.

1. Take the tenderest part of the leg of a young rabbit, virgin
wax, and sheep’s-suet; beat them in a mortar till they be perfectly
incorporated, then with a little clarified honey, temper them before
the fire into a paste.

2. Sheep’s-kidney suet, as much cheese, fine flower or manchet, make it
into a paste; soften it with clarified honey.

3. Sheep’s blood, cheese, fine manchet, clarified honey; make all into
a paste.

4. Sheep’s blood, saffron, and fine manchet; make all into a paste.

You may add to any paste, coculus-indiæ, assa-fœtida, oil of polipody
of the oak, of lignum vitæ, of ivy, or the gum of ivy dissolved: I
judge there is virtue in these oils, and gum especially, which I would
add to all pastes I make, as also a little flax to keep the paste, that
it wash not off the hook.




CHAP. VI.

TO KEEP YOUR BAITS.


1. Paste will keep very long, if you put virgin wax and clarified honey
into it, and stick well on the hook, if you beat cotton wool, or flax
into it, when you make your paste.

2. Put your worms into very good long moss, whether white, red, or
green, matters not; wash it well, and cleanse it from all earth and
filth, wring it very dry, then put your worms into an earthen pot,
cover it close that they crawl not out; set it in a cool place in
Summer, and in Winter in a warm place, that the frost kill them not;
every third day in Summer change your moss, and once in the week in
Winter; the longer you keep them before you use them the better: clean
scouring your worms makes them clear, red, tough, and to live long on
the hook, and to keep colour, and therefore more desireable to the
fish: a little Bol Amoniac put to them, will much further your desire,
and scour them in a short time: or you may put them all night in water,
and they will scour themselves, which will weaken them; but a few hours
in good moss will recover them. Lest your worms die, you may feed them
with crumbs of bread and milk, or fine flour and milk, or the yolk
of an egg, and sweet cream coagulated over the fire, given to them a
little and often; sometimes also put to them earth cast out of a grave,
the newer the grave the better; I mean the shorter time the party hath
been buried, you will find the fish will exceedingly covet them after
this earth, and here you may gather what gum that is, which J. D. in
his _Secrets of Angling_, calls ‘Gum of Life.’

3. You must keep all other sorts of worms with the leaves of those
trees and herbs on which they are bred, renewing the leaves often in a
day, and put in fresh for the old ones: the boxes you keep them in must
have a few small holes to let in air.

4. Keep gentles or maggots with dead flesh, beast’s livers, or suet;
cleanse or scour them in meal, or bran, which is better; you may breed
them by pricking a beast’s liver full of holes, hang it in the sun in
Summer time; set an old course barrel, or small firkin, with clay and
bran in it, into which they will drop, and cleanse themselves in it.

5. Cad-bait cannot endure the wind and cold, therefore keep them in a
thick woollen bag, with some gravel amongst them: wet them once a day,
at least, if in the house, but often in the hot weather: when you carry
them forth, fill the bag full of water, then hold the mouth close, that
they drop not out, and so let the water run from them; I have thus kept
them three weeks, or you may put them into an earthern pot full of
water, with some gravel at the bottom, and take them forth into your
bag as you use them.

6. The spawn of some fish is a good bait, to be used at such time as
that fish is spawning: some days before they spawn they will bite
eagerly; if you take one that is full-bellied, take out the spawn, boil
it so hard as to stick on your hook, and so use it; or not boil it at
all, the spawn of SALMON is the best of all sorts of spawn.

7. I have observed, that CHEVIN, ROACH, and

[Illustration: DACE]

bite much better at the oak-worm, or any worm bred on herbs and trees,
especially if you angle with the same, when they shew themselves at
the top of the water, as with the natural fly, than if you use it
under: for I have observed, that when a gale of wind shakes the trees,
the worms fall into the water, and presently rise and float on the top,
where I have seen the fish rise at them, as at flies, which taught me
this experience; and indeed they sink not, till tost and beaten by the
stream, and so die and lose their colour; the fish then, as you may see
by your own on your hook, do not much esteem them.

8. There are two, some say three, sorts of cad-bait; the one bred
under stones, that lie hollow in shallow rivers, or small brooks, in a
very fine gravelly case or husk, these are yellow when ripe: the other
in old pits, ponds, or slow running rivers, or ditches, in cases or
husks of straw, sticks, or rushes, these are green when ripe: both are
excellent for TROUT, used as before directed, and for most sorts of
small fish. The green sort, which is bred in pits, ponds, or ditches,
may be found in March, before the other yellow ones comes in; the other
yellow ones come in season with May, or the end of April, and go out in
July: a second sort, but smaller, come in again in August.

9. Yellow bobs are also of two sorts, the one bred in mellow light
soils, and gathered after the plough, when the land is first broken up
from grazing, and are in season in the Winter till March; the other
sort is bred under cow-dung, hath a red head; and these are in season
in the Summer only: scour them in bran, or dry moss, or meal.

10. Bark-worms are found under the bark of an oak, ash, alder, and
birch, especially if they lie a year or more after they have fallen,
you may find a great white worm, with a brown head, something
resembling a dore bee, or humble-bee, this is in season all the year,
especially from September until June, or mid-May; the Umber covets this
bait above any, save fly, and cad-bait; you may also find this worm in
the body of a rotten alder, if you break it with an axe or beetle; but
be careful only to shake the tree in pieces with beating, and crush not
the worm: you may also find him under the bark of the stump of a tree,
if decayed.

11. Dry your wasps, dores, or bees, upon a tile-stone, or in an oven
cooled after baking, lest they burn; and to avoid that, you must lay
them on a thin board or chip, and cover them with another so supported,
as not to crush them, or else clap two cakes together: this way they
will keep long, and stick on your hook well. If you boil them hard,
they grow black in a few days.

12. Dry your sheep’s blood in the air, upon a dry board, till it become
a pretty hard lump; then cut it into small pieces for your use.

13. When you use grain, boil it soft, and get off the outward rind,
which is the bran; and then if you will, you may fry the same in
honey and milk, or some strong-scented oils, as polypody, spike, ivy,
turpentine; for Nature, which maketh nothing in vain, hath given
the fish nostrils, and that they can smell, is undeniable; and I am
persuaded, more guided by the sense of smelling, than sight, for
sometimes they will come to the float, if any wax be upon it, smell
at it and go away. We see also that strong scents draw them together;
as, put grains, worms, or snails, in a bottle of hay tied pretty close,
and you will, if you pluck it out suddenly, sometimes draw up EELS in
it. But I never yet made trial of any of these oils; for when I had
the oils, I wanted time to try them; or when I had time, I wanted the
oils: but I recommend them to others for trial, and do purpose, God
willing, to prove the virtue myself, especially that ointment so highly
commended by J. D. in his _Secrets of Angling_.[3]

[3] In the edition of 1613, duod. the receipt here referred to occurs
at the end of the volume:

          Would’st thou catch fish?
          Then here’s thy wish;
          Take this receipt
          To anoint thy bait.

  Thou that desirest to fish with line and hook,
  Be it in poole, in river, or in brook,
  To blisse thy bait, and make the fish to bite,
  Loe here’s a means if thou canst hit it right;
  Take gum of life, fine beat and laid to soak
  In oyle, well drawn from that which kills the oak;
  Fish where thou wilt, thou shalt have sport thy fill,
  When twenty fail, thou shalt be sure to kill.
                                         _Probatum._

          It’s perfect and good
          If well understood
          Else not to be told
          For silver or gold.

Lauson, who ‘augmented with many approved experiments,’ the second
edition of the _Secrets of Angling_, 1652, duod. observes, ‘This
excellent receipt divers Anglers can tell you where you may buy them.’
On the subject of ‘gum of life,’ he continues, ‘I have heard much of an
oyntment that will presently cause any fish to bite; but I could never
attain the knowledge thereof, the nearest in mine opinion, except this
Probatum, is the oyle of an ospray, which is called Aquila Marina, the
Sea-Eagle. She is of body neare the bignesse of a goose; one of her
feete is web’d to swim withall, the other hath talons to catch fish.
It seems the fish come up to her, for she cannot dive. Some likelihood
there is also in a paste made of Coculus Indie, Assa-Fœtida, Honey and
Wheat-flour; but I never tried them, therefore I cannot prescribe.’

‘That which kills the oak,’ is expressly said to signify ‘the Ivy,’
edit. 1652.

In a third, and hitherto unrecorded edition of the _Secrets of
Angling_, it is said, ‘This excellent receipt you may buy ready and
truely made, at the signe of the Flying Horse, an Apothecaries in
Carter-Lane.’

EDITOR.


14. When you see ant-flies in greatest plenty, go to the ant-hills
where they breed, take a great handful of the earth, with as much of
the roots of the grass growing on those hills; put all into a large
glass bottle, then gather a pottle full of the blackest, ant-flies
unbruised, put them into the bottle, or into a firkin, if you would
keep them long, first washed with honey, or water and honey; ROACH and
DACE will bite at these flies under water near the ground.

15. When you gather bobs after the plough, put them into a firkin, with
sufficient of the soil they were bred in, to preserve them; stop the
vessel quite close, or all will spoil; set it where neither wind nor
frost may offend them, and they will keep all Winter for your use.

16. At the latter end of September, take some dead carrion that hath
some maggots bred in it, which are beginning to creep; bury all deep in
the ground, that the frost kill them not, and they will serve in March
or April following, to use.

17. To find the flag-worm, do thus: go to an old pond, or pit, where
there are store of flags, or, as some call them, sedges, pull some up
by the roots, then shake those roots in the water, till all the mud
and dirt be washed away from them, then amongst the small strings or
fibres that grow to the roots, you will find little husks or cases
of a reddish, or yellowish, and some of other colours; open these
carefully with a pin, and you will find in them a little small worm,
white as a gentle, but longer and thinner; this is an excellent bait
for the Tench, the Bream, and especially the Carp: if you pull the
flags-asunder, and cut open the round stalk, you will also find a worm
like the former in the husks; but tougher, and in that respect better.




CHAP. VII.

OF SEVERAL HAUNTS OR RESORTS OF FISH, AND IN WHAT RIVERS OR PLACES OF
THEM THEY ARE MOST USUALLY FOUND.


This part of our discourse being a discovery of the several places or
rivers each kind of fish do most haunt or covet, and in which they are
ordinarily found.

The several sorts of rivers, streams, soils, and waters they most
frequent, is a matter, in this under-valued art, of no small
importance; for if you come with baits for the Trout, or Umber, and
angle for them in slow muddy rivers or places, you will have little, if
any sport at all: and to seek for Carp or Tench in stony swift rivers,
is equally preposterous; and though I know that sometimes you may meet
with fish in such rivers and places, as they do not usually frequent,
for no general rule but admits of particular exceptions, yet the exact
knowledge of what rivers or soils, or what part of the river, for some
rivers have swift gravely streams, and also slow, deep, muddy places;
such or such sorts of fish do most frequent, will exceedingly adapt
you, to know what rivers, or what part of them are most fit for your
baits, or what baits suit best with each river, and the fish in the
same.

1. The Salmon loves large swift rivers, where there is considerable
ebbing and flowing, and there that fish is found in the greatest
numbers; nevertheless, I have known them to be found in lesser rivers,
high up in the country, yet chiefly in the latter end of the year,
when they come thither to spawn, he chooses the most swift and violent
streams, or rather cataracts, and in England the clearest gravely
rivers usually with rocks or weeds; but in Ireland, I do not know any
river, I mean high in the country, that hath such plenty of them as the
black water, by Charlemont, and the broad water, by Shane’s Castle,
both which have their heads in great bogs, and are of a dark muddy
colour, and very few comparatively in the upper ban, though clearer and
swifter than they.

2. The Trout is found in small purling brooks, or rivers that are very
swift, and run upon stones or gravel; he feeds whilst strong in the
swiftest streams, behind a stone, a log, or some small bank, which,
shooting into the river, the streams beareth upon; and there he lieth
watching for what comes down the stream, and suddenly catches it up.
His hold is usually in the deep, under a hollow place of the bank, or
a stone which lying hollow, he loves exceedingly; and sometimes, but
not so usually, he is found amongst weeds.

3. The Pearch prefers a gentle stream, of a reasonable depth, seldom
shallow, close by a hollow bank; and though these three sorts of fish
covet clear and swift rivers, green weeds, and stony gravel; yet they
are sometimes found, but not in such plenty and goodness, in slow muddy
rivers.

4. Carp, Tench, and Eel, seek mud and a still water; Eels under roots
or stones, a Carp chooseth the deepest and most still place of pond
or river, so does the Tench, and also green weeds, which he likes
exceedingly; the greatest Eels love as before; but the smaller ones are
found in all sorts of rivers and soils.

5. Pike, Bream, and Chub, choose sand or clay: the Bream, a gentle
stream, and the broadest part of the river; the Pike, still pools full
of fry, and shelters himself, the better to surprise his prey unawares,
amongst bull-rushes, water-docks, or under-bushes; the Chub loves the
same ground, but is more rarely found without some tree to shade and
cover him, in large rivers and streams.

6. Barbel, Roach, Dace, and Ruff, seek gravel and sand more than the
Bream, and the deepest parts of the river, where shady trees are more
grateful to them, than to the Chub or Chevin.

7. The Umber seeks marl, clay, clear waters, swift streams, far from
the Sea, for I never saw any taken near it; and the greatest plenty of
them that I know of, are found in the mountainous parts of Derbyshire,
Staffordshire, as Dovetrent, Derwent, &c.

8. Gudgeon desires sandy, gravely, gentle streams, and smaller rivers;
but I have known them taken in great abundance in Trent, in Derbyshire,
where it is very large; but conceive them to be in greater plenty
nearer the head of that river, about or above Heywood: I can say the
same of other rivers, and therefore conceive they love smaller rivers
rather than the large, or the small brooks, for I never found them
in so great plenty in brooks, as small rivers; he bites best in the
Spring, till he spawns, and little after till wasp time.

9. Shad, Thwait, Peel, Mullett, Suant, and Flounder, love chiefly to
be in or near the saltish water, which ebb and flow; I have known the
Flounder taken in good plenty, in fresh rivers; they covet sand and
gravel, deep gentle streams near the bank, or at the end of a stream
in a deep still place: though these rules may, and do hold good in the
general, yet I have found them admit of particular exceptions, but
every man’s habitation engaged him to one, or usually at most, to two
rivers, his own experience will quickly inform him of the nature of the
same, and the fish in them. I would persuade all that love angling,
and desire to be complete Anglers, to spend some time in all sorts of
waters, ponds, rivers, swift and slow, stony, gravely, muddy and slimy;
and to observe all the differences in the nature of the fish, the
waters and baits, and by this means he will be able to take fish where
ever he angles; otherwise, through want of experience, he will be like
the man that could read in no book but his own: besides, a man, his
occasions or desires drawing him from home, must only stand as an idle
spectator, whilst others kill fish, but he none; and so lose the repute
of a complete Angler, how excellent soever he be at his own known river.

Furthermore, you must understand, that as some fish covet one soil
more than another, so they differ in their choice of places, in every
season; some keep all Summer long near the top, some never leave the
bottom; for the former sort you may angle with a quill or small float
near the top, with a fly, or any sort of worm bred on herbs or trees,
or with a fly at the top: the latter sort you will, all Summer long,
find at the tails of wiers, mills, flood-gates, arches of bridges,
or the more shallow parts of the river, in a strong, swift or gentle
stream, except Carp, and Tench, and Eel; in Winter all retreat into
deep still places; where it ebbs and flows, they will sometimes bite
best, but in the ebb most usually; sometimes when it flows, but rarely
at full water, near the arches of Bridges, wiers, or flood-gates.




CHAP. VIII.

WHAT TIMES ARE UNSEASONABLE TO ANGLE IN.


There being a time for all things, in which with ease and facility
the same may be accomplished, and most difficult, if not impossible,
at another: the skill and knowledge how to choose the best season to
angle, and how to avoid the contrary, come next to be handled; which I
shall do first negatively, viz. what times are unfit to angle; and then
affirmatively, which are the best seasons.

1. When the earth is parched with a great drought, so that the rivers
run with a much less current than is usual, it is to no purpose to
angle; and indeed the heat of the day in Summer, except cooled by
winds, and shallowed with clouds, though there be no drought, you will
find very little sport, especially in muddy, or very shallow and clear
rivers.

2. In cold, frosty, snowy weather, I know the fish must eat in all
seasons, and that a man may kill fish when he must first break the ice;
yet I conceive the sport is not then worth pursuing, the extreme cold
taking away the delight, besides the endangering health, if not life,
by those colds, which at least cause rhumes and coughs: wherefore I
leave Winter and night angling, to such strong healthful bodies, whose
extraordinary delight in angling, or those whose necessity enforceth
them to seek profit by their recreation, in such unseasonable times.

3. When there happens any small frost, all that day after the fish will
not rise freely and kindly, except in the evening, and that the same
prove very pleasant.

4. If the wind be very high, so that you cannot guide your tools to
advantage.

5. When shepherds or countrymen wash their sheep, though while they are
washing, I mean the first time only, the fish will bite exceedingly
well; I suppose the filth that falls from the sheep draws them, as like
baiting a place together, and then they so glut themselves, that till
the whole washing time be over, and they have digested their fulness;
they will not take any artificial baits.

6. Sharp, bitter, nipping winds, which most usually blow out of the
North or East especially, blast your recreation; but this is rather the
season than the wind, though I also judge those winds have a secret
malign quality to hinder the recreation.

7. After any sort of fish have spawned, they will not bite any thing to
purpose, until they have recovered their strength and former appetite.

8. When any clouds arise, that will certainly bring a shower or storm,
though in the midst of Summer, they will not bite: I have observed,
that though the fish bite most eagerly, and to your heart’s content,
yet upon the first appearing of any clouds, that will certainly bring
rain, though my own judgment could not then apprehend, or in the least
conjecture, that a storm was arising, they have immediately left off
biting; and that has been all given me to understand that a shower was
coming, and that it was prudent to seek shelter against the same.




CHAP. IX.

THE BEST TIMES AND SEASONS TO ANGLE.


We now come to the affirmative part, which is the best season to angle,
that as before, we discovered when it would be lost labour to seek
recreation; so now you may learn to improve opportunity, when it offers
itself to best advantage.

1. Calm, clear, or which is better, cool cloudy weather in Summer, the
wind blowing gently, so as you may guide your tools with ease; in the
hottest months, the cooler the better.

2. When the floods have carried away all the filth that the rain had
washed from the higher grounds into the river, and that the river keeps
his usual bounds, and appears of a whey colour.

3. When a sudden violent shower hath a little mudded and raised the
river, then if you go forth in, or immediately after such a shower, and
angle in the stream at the ground, with a red worm chiefly; if there be
store of fish in the river, you will have sport to your own desire.

4. A little before any fish spawn, your own observation will inform
you of the time, by the fulness of their bellies, they come into the
gravely, sandy fords, to rub and loosen their bellies, and then they
bite very freely.

5. When rivers after rain do rise, yet so as that they keep within
their banks, in swift rivers the violence of the stream forces the
fish to seek shelter and quiet ease; in the little and milder currents
of small brooks, where they fall into larger rivers, and behind the
ends of bridges that are longer than the breadth of the river, making
a low vacancy, where the bridge defends a small spot of ground from
the violence of the stream, or in any low place near the river’s side,
where the fish may lie at rest, and secure from the disturbance of the
rapid stream; in such a place, not being very deep, and at such a time,
you will find sport: as regards myself, I have ever found it equal to
the best season.

6. For Carp and Tench early in the morning, from sun rising, until
eight of the clock, and from four after noon, till night; and from sun
set, till far in the night in the hot months.

7. In March, in the beginning of April, and at the latter end of
September, and all Winter, fish bite best in the warmth of the day,
when no winds are stirring, and the air quite clear. In Summer months,
morning and evening are best, or cool cloudy weather: if you can find
shelter, no matter how high the wind be.

8. Fish rise best at the fly, after a shower that has not mudded the
water, yet has beaten the gnats and flies into the rivers; you may in
such a shower observe them rise much, if you will endure the rain;
also the best months for the fly, are March, April, May, and part of
June; in the cooler months, in the warmest time of the day; or in warm
weather, about nine in the morning, three in the afternoon, if any
gentle gale blow; sometimes in a warm evening, when the gnats play much.

9. Also after the river is cleared from a flood, they rise exceeding
well; I conceive that being glutted with ground-baits, they now covet
the fly, having wanted it a time.

10. A Trout bites best in a muddy rising water, in dark, cloudy, windy
weather, early in the morning, from half an hour after eight, till
ten; and in the afternoon, from three, till after four, and sometimes
in the evening; but about nine in the morning, and about three in the
afternoon, are his chief and most constant hours of biting at ground
or fly, as the water suits either; March, April, May, and part of
June, are his chief months, though he bites well in July, August and
September. After a shower in the evening, he rises well at gnats.

11. Salmon, at three in the afternoon, chiefly in May, June, July, and
August, with a clear water and some wind. He bites best when the wind
is blowing against the stream, and near the sea.

12. Carp and Tench, morning and evening, very early and late, June,
July and August, or indeed in the night.

13. A Chevin, from sun rising or earlier, at snails especially; for in
the heat of the day he cares not for them, in June and July till about
eight, again at three in the afternoon at ground, or fly; and his chief
fly which he most delights in, is a great moth, with a very great head,
not unlike to an owl, with whitish wings, and yellowish body, you may
find them flying abroad in Summer evenings in gardens, when some wind
is stirring, in large rivers chiefly, streams or shade. He will take
a small lamprey, or seven-eyes, an eel-brood, either of them about a
straw’s bigness.

14. Pike bites best at three in the afternoon, in a clear water,
accompanied by a gentle gale, in July, August, September, and October.

15. Bream, from about sun rising, till eight, in a muddy water, a good
gale of wind; and in ponds, the higher the better, and where the waves
are highest, and nearer the middle of the pond, the better; from the
end of May, June, July especially, and August.

16. Roach and Dace all day long; best at the top, at fly, or oak-worm
principally, and at all other worms bred on herbs or trees, palmers,
caterpillars, &c. in plain rivers or ponds, under water-dock leaves, or
under shady trees.

17. Gudgeon from April, and till he have spawned in May, and a little
after that, till wasp time, and then to the end of the year, all day
long.

18. Flounder all day in April, May, June, and July.




CHAP. X.

GENERAL OBSERVATIONS.


1. Let the Angler’s apparel be sad dark colours, as sad grey’s, tawny,
purple, hair, or musk colour.

2. Use shoe-maker’s wax to your silk or thread, with which you make or
mend either rod or fly; it holds firmer, and sticks better than any
other.

3. Into such places as you use to angle at, once a week at least, cast
in all sorts of corn boiled soft, grains washed in blood, blood dried
and cut into pieces, snails, worms chopped small, pieces of fowl, or
beast’s guts, beast’s livers; for Carp and Tench you cannot feed too
often, or too much; this course draweth the fish to the place you
desire. And to keep them together, cast about twenty grains of ground
malt at a time, now and then as you angle; and indeed all sorts of
baits are good to cast in, especially whilst you are angling with that
bait, principally cad-bait, gentles, and wasps, and you will find
they will snap up yours more eagerly, and with less suspicion; but by
no means, when you angle in a stream cast them in at your hook, but
something above where you angle, lest the stream carry them beyond your
hook, and so instead of drawing them to you, you draw them from you.

4. Destroy all beasts or birds that devour the fish or their spawn,[4]
as the

[Illustration: OTTER]

&c. and endeavour, whether in authority or not, to see all statutes put
in execution, against such as use unlawful nets, or means to take fish;
especially bar-netting and night-hooking.

[4] THE OTTER’S ORATION.

  Why stand we beasts abasht, or spare to speake?
  Why make wee not a vertue of our need?
  We know by proofe, in wit wee are to weake,
  And weaker much, because all Adams seed,
  (Which beare away the waight of wit indeed)
  Do dayly seeke our names for to distaine,
  With slanderous blotte, for which we Beasts be slaine.
    First of my selfe, before the rest to treate,
  Most men cry out, that fishe I do deuoure,
  Yea some will say, that Lambes (with mee) be meate:
  I graunt to both, and he that hath the powre,
  To feede on fish that sweeter were than sowre,
  And hath yong flesh to banquet at his fill,
  Were fonde to fraunche on garbage, graynes or swill.
    But master Man, which findeth all this fault,
  And streynes deuise for many a daynty dishe,
  Which suffreth not that hunger him assault,
  But feedes his fill on euery flesh and fishe,
  Which must haue all, as much as witte can wish,
  Us seely Beasts, deuouring Beasts do call,
  And he himsefe, most bloody beaste of all.
    Well yet me thinks, I heare him preach this Text,
  How all that is, was made for vse of man:
  So was it sure, but therewith followes next,
  This heauy place, expound it who so can:
  The very scourge and plague of God his Ban,
  Will light on such as queyntly can deuise,
  To eat more meate, then may thir mouthes suffise.
    Now master Man stand forth and here declare,
  Who euer yet could see an Otter eate,
  More meate at once, then serued for his share?
  Who sees vs beasts sitte bybbing in our seate
  With sundry wynes, and sundry kindes of meate?
  Which breede disease, yfostred in such feastes,
  If men do so, be they not worse than beasts?
    The beastly man, must sitte al day and quaffe,
  The Beaste indeede, doth drincke but twise a day,
  The beastly man, must stuffe his monstrous masse
  With secrete cause of surfeiting alway;
  Where beasts be glad to feede when they get prey,
  And neuer eate more than may do them good,
  Where men be sicke, and surfet thorough foode.
    Who sees a Beast, for sauery Sawces long?
  Who sees a beast, or chicke or Capon cramme?
  Who sees a beast, once luld on sleepe with song?
  Who sees a beast make venson of a Ramme?
  Who sees a Beast destroy bothe whelpe and damme?
  Who sees a Beast vse beastly Gluttonie?
  Which man doth vse, for great Cinilytie.
    I know not I, if dyuing be my fault,
  Me thinks most men, can dine as well as I:
  Some men can diue in Seller and in vault,
  In Parlor, Hall, Kitchen and in Buttery
  To smell the Roste, whereof the fume doth flee:
  And as for games, men dine in every streame,
  All frawdes be fishe, their stomacks neuer squeame.
    So to conclude, when men their faults can mend,
  And shunne the shame, where with they beasts do blot,
  When men their time and treasure not mispend,
  But follow grace, which is with paines ygot,
  When men can vice rebuke, and vse it not:
  Then shall they shine, like men of worthy fame,
  And else, they be but _Beasts_ well worthy blame.

      _Noble Art of Venerie_, 1611, _4to._ pp. 201-203.


5. Get your rods and tops without knots, they are dangerous for
breaking.

6. Keep your rod dry, lest it rot, and not near the fire, lest it grow
brittle.

7. In drought, wet your rod a little before you begin to angle.

8. Lob-worms, dew-worms, and great garden worms, all one.

9. When you angle at ground, or with the natural fly, your line must
not exceed the length of your rod. For the Trout at ground, it must be
shorter, and in some cases, not half the length as in small brooks or
woody rivers, either at ground, or with the natural fly.

10. When you have hooked a good fish, have an especial care to keep
your rod bent, lest he run to the line, and break your hook, or his
hold.

11. Such tops or stocks as you get, must not be used till fully
seasoned, which will not be in one year and a quarter, but I like them
better if kept till they be two years old.

12. The first fish you take, cut up his belly, and you may then see
his stomach; it is known by its largeness and place, lying from the
gills to the small guts; take it out very tenderly, if you bruise it,
your labour and design are lost; and with a sharp knife cut it open
without bruising, and then you may find his food in it, and thereby
discover what bait the fish at that instant takes best, either flies
or ground-baits, and so suit them accordingly.

13. Fish are frightened with any the least sight or motion, therefore
by all means keep out of sight, either by sheltering yourself behind
some bush or tree, or by standing so far off the river’s side, that
you can see nothing but your fly or float; to effect this, a long rod
at ground, and a long line with the artificial fly, may be of use to
you. And here I meet with two different opinions and practises, some
will always cast their fly and bait up the water, and so they say
nothing occurs to the fish’s sight but the line; others fish down the
river, and so suppose, the rod and line being long, the quantity of
water takes away, or at least lessens the fish’s sight; but others
affirm, that rod and line, and perhaps yourself, are seen also. In
this difference of opinions I shall only say, in small brooks you
may angle upwards, or else in great rivers you must wade, as I have
known some, who thereby got the sciatica, and I would not wish you to
purchase pleasure at so dear a rate; besides, casting up the river you
cannot keep your line out of the water, which has been noted for a
fault before; and they that use this way confess, that if in casting
your fly, the line fall into the water before it, the fly were better
uncast, because it frightens the fish; then certainly it must do it
this way, whether the fly fall first or not, the line must first come
to the fish, or fall on him, which undoubtedly will frighten him:
my opinion is, therefore, that you angle down the river, for the
other way you traverse twice so much, and beat not so much ground as
downwards.

14. Keep the sun, and moon, if night, before you, if your eyes will
endure, which I much question, at least be sure to have those planets
on your side, for if they be on your back, your rod will with its
shadow offend much, and the fish see further and clearer, when they
look towards those lights, than the contrary; as you may experiment
thus in a dark night, if a man come betwixt you and any light, you see
him clearly, but not at all if the light come betwixt you and him.

15. When you angle for the Trout, you need not make above three or four
trials in one place, either with fly or ground-bait, for he will then
either take it, or make an offer, or not stir at all, and so you lose
time to stay there any longer.

[Illustration: PEARCH]

PEARCH bites exceedingly well at all sorts of earth-worms, especially
lob-worms, brandlings, bobs, oak-worms, gentles, cad-bait, wasps,
dores, minnows, colwort-worm, and often at almost any bait, save the
fly.

He bites well all day long in seasonable weather, but chiefly from
eight in the morning till after ten, and from a little before three in
the afternoon till almost five.

[Illustration: CHUB]

16. A CHEVIN loves to have several flies, and of divers sorts, on the
hook at once, and several baits also at once on the hook, as a wasp and
colwort-worm, or an old wasp, and young dore, or humble, when his wings
and legs are grown forth, or a fly and cad-worm, or oak-worm.

17. Take for a Trout, two lob-worms well scoured, cut them into two
equal halves, put them on your hook; this is an excellent bait.

In a muddy water, a Trout will not take a cad-bait, you must therefore
only use it in clear water.

If you desire to angle in a very swift stream, and have your bait rest
in one place, and yet not over burthen your line with lead; take a
small pistol bullet, make a hole through it, wider at each side than
the middle, yet so open in every place, as that the line may easily
pass through it without any stop; place a very small piece of lead on
your line, that may keep this bullet from falling nearer the hook than
that piece of lead, and if your float be made large enough to bear
above water, against the force of the stream, the fish will, when they
bite, run away with the bait as securely, as if there were no more
weight upon your line, than the little piece of lead, because the hole
in the bullet gives passage to the line, as if it were not there.

18. When cattle in Summer come into the fords, their dung draws the
fish to the lower end of the ford; at such time angle for a Chevin,
with baits fit for him, and you will have sport.

19. Before you set your hook to your line, arm the line by turning the
silk five or six times about the link, and so with the same silk set
on your hook; this preserves your lines, that your hook cut it not
asunder, and also that it will not, when using the cast fly, snap off
so easily, which it is very subject to do.

20. In very wet seasons Trouts leave the rivers and larger brooks, and
retreat into such little brooks as scarce run at all in dry Summers.

21. To all sorts of pastes, add flax, cotton, or wool, to keep the
paste from falling off your hook.

22. Deny not part of what your endeavours shall purchase unto any sick
or indigent persons, but willingly distribute a part of your purchase
to those who may desire a share.

23. Make not a profession of any recreation, lest your immoderate love
towards it should bring a cross wish on the same.

[Illustration]


J. Johnson, Printer, Brook Street, Holborn, London.


Transcriber’s Notes

Page 10—changed were to where — where the fish lie in wait for them

Page 14—changed then run the the same round your fly — then run the
same round your fly.

Page 16—changed artifical to artificial.

Page 20—changed fall to falls, twice; — that your fly falls first — if
the line falls first

Page 23— changed get to gets — and close his mouth so no water gets in.



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