Do
present this my book as I have named it Barker's delight,
to your Honour. I pray God send you safe home to your good Lady and
sweet
Babes. Amen, Amen. If you shall find any thing delightfull in
the
reading of it, I shall heartily rejoyce, for I know you are one who
takes
delight in that pleasure, and have good judgement and experience, as
many
noble persons & Gentlem. of true piety & honour do & have.
The favour that I have found from you, and a great many more that did
and
do love that pleasure, shall never be bury'd in oblivion by me. I am
now
grown old, and am willing to enlarge my little book. I have written no
more but my own experience and practise, and have set forth the true
ground
of Angling, which I have been gathering these threescore yeares, having
spent many pounds in the gaining of it, as is well known in the place
where
I was born and educated, which is Bracemeale in the Liberty of Salop,
being a Freeman and Burgesse of the same City. If any noble or gentle
Angler,
of what degree soever he be, have a mind to discourse of any of these
wayes
& experiments, I live in Henry the 7th's Gifts,
the
next doore to the Gatehouse in Westm. my name is Barker,
where I shall be ready, as long as please God, to satisfie them, and
maintain
my art, during life, which is not like to be long; that the younger fry
may have my experiments at a smaller charge than I had them, for, it
would
be too heavy for every one that loveth that exercise to be at that
charge
as I was at first in my youth, the losse of my time, with great
expenses.
Therefore I took it in consideration, and thought fit to let it be
understood,
& to take pains to set forth the true grounds and wayes that I have
found by experience both for fitting of the rods and tackles both for
ground-baits
and flyes, with directions for the making thereof, with observations
for
times and seasons, for the ground-baits and flyes, both for day and
night,
with the dressing, wherein I take as much delight as in the the taking
of them, and to shew how I can perform it, to furnish any Lords table,
onely with trouts, as it is furnished with flesh, for 16 or 20 dishes.
And I have a desire to preserve their health (with help of God) to go
dry
in their boots and shooes in angling, for age taketh the pleasure from
me. My Lord, I am
Your Honours most humble
Servant,
Thomas
Barker.
In
praise of M. Barkers
exce-
lent
Book of Angling.
CArds,
Dice,
and Tables pick thy purse;
Drinking and
Drabbing
bring a curse.
Hawking and Hunting
spend thy
chink;
Bowling and
Shooting end
in drink.
The fighting-Cock,
and the Horse-race
Will sink a
good Estate
apace.
Angling doth bodyes
exercise.
And maketh
soules holy
and wise:
By blessed thoughts
and meditation:
This, this
is Anglers
recreation!
Health, profit,
pleasure, mixt
together,
All sport's
to this not
worth a feather.
Nagrom Notpoh
Armiger.
Encomium
in Authorem,
Thom: Barkerum.
Dulcis
Molpomene
nectarea carmina fundæ
Ut piscatoris laudes.
& gaudia
cantem.
Molli perspicio
labentia flumina
cursu:
Lubrica dulcisono
crepitantia murmure
saxa;
Atque alto specto
ludentes stagmine
pisces.
Sprirantem Zephirum,
claro tinctumque
colore
Coelum: mellifluam
musam, volueresq;
sonantes.
Di[c]e mihi quæ
suavis vita,
aut quæ blanda voluptas
Coequare valet
piscandi encomia
magna?
Ad Lectorem.
Hic liber eximium
cursum semitamque
docebit
Ambrosea timidos
escâ deludere
pisces,
Vix faucem poterant
hami vitare
dolosi:
Artem piscandi
generosam expandit
amoene,
Amnigenos pisces &
arundine
vincere longa.
Hic coquus set expers
pisces lixare
recaptos,
Atque parare suis
socius, Convivia
rara.
Edmund Swetenham
Gen: Cestriens.
An
Encomium on Mr.
Bar-
ker's exquisite Book of the
Art of Angling, &c.
IN
Helicon
though I could dip my quill,
To erect my muse
and fathom out
thy skill:
Alas! too cheap for
that which
cost so dear;
Great pains,
expence and time,
full threescore year.
Thou hast
unbowell'd brave Dame
Natures part
In a Vade mecum,
with
Heroick art.
Thy Booke's a
mirrour, there
a perfect view
Will still remain,
to speak thy
praises due.
Perhaps some
Rustick currishly
will bark
At thee, brave Barker:
but if in the dark
And silent night
thou canst the
knave espie,
With the captive
Trout he soon
shall make a die.
Then rogues thy
name wil dread,
& from thee gallop
As from the Devil,
when 'tis
but Tom of Salop.
But thou ingenuous
spirit, follow
him
To christall
streames, where
nimble fish do swim
With fins
display'd, and skipping
up the streams:
Then (without help
of Phoebus
glorious beams)
The Trout shall
gorge thy bait
with pleasure store;
Sweet Philomel
shall eccho
on the shore.
What now remains?
thou hast ensnar'd
the fish,
And Barkers
Art will make
a princely dish.
Edward Hopton Gen.
Hamtoniensis.
Friendly
Verses
in commenda-
tion
of Mr. Barker's com-
plete work of the Art
of Angling.
ORgana
piscatorum,
ac esca, frequentia piscis,
Tempora piscandi
prima, Culina sciens:
Omnia Barkeri
præbet
liber aureus ista.
Artis præceptor
cedito, disce,
tace.
Discipulos docuit
transfigere, ludere
lymphæ,
Exhaurire: Petri
demito rete, beas.
Thus Englished.
Tackle, Baits,
Fish-haunts, skilfull
Cookery,
Best times
to fish, these
Barker
doth descry.
To strike, play,
land thy prize,
he tells thee how;
Art angling
teachers all
to him must bow.
Keep thee but from
S. Peters
net, and then
Blest be thy
soul for
aye, Amen, Amen.
John Perch
Armig.
Pleasant
Hexameter
Verses in
praise of Mr. Barkers
Book of Angling.
TRout,
Carp,
Perch, Pike, Roch, Dace, Eele, Tench, Bleke, Gudgeon, Barbell,
Thy truth,
experience, love,
care, cost, skill, doth describe well.
Valiant, just, honest,
true-hearted,
ShrewsburyBarker,
The Art of
Angling discovereth,
hitherto darker
Than either Fowling,
Hawking, or
hunting the swift Hare,
Markam, Ward,
Lawson,
dare you with Barker now compare?
Of Trouts and huge
Pikes you teach
us to catch a good dish;
He to make
tackle, to kill,
and cook also all fish.
All we good Brethren
of the Angle
do give you your due praise;
But on old Tom's
head
we mean to put the crown of Baies.
John Hockenhull
Armig. Cestriensis.
On
the choyce Treatise
called
Barker's Delight.
COme
come, ye
bunglers, learn the skill
The greedy nimble
trout to kill.
For twelve pence (now)
thou maist
learn more
Than in an age was
known before;
All baits to know,
tackle to fit,
Brave Barker I
commend thy
wit.
What, catch they Prey,
and cook
the Fish?
And more than this,
Sir, can you
wish?
Radulphus Hoptonus
Gen. Wigorniens.
________________________________
In Barkeri
librum de arte piscandi
Encomium.
BArkeri
in
laudem, lector, latrare nolito,
Nam mordere
queat dentibus
absq; suis.
Vincere si pisces
cupias, documenta
memento
Aurea,
scripta libro commoditate
tuâ.
Bark not at
Barker,
lest he bite;
But if in angling thou delight,
To kill the
Trout, and cook the Fish,
Follow his rules and have thy wish.
Per Morganum Hoptonum
Armig.
The
Art of Angling.
Noble Lord,
Nder
favour I will complement and put a case to your Honour. I met with a
man,
and upon our discourse he fell out with me, having a good weapon, but
neither
stomach nor skil; I say this man may come home by Weeping cross, I will
cause the Clerk to toll his knell. It is the very like case to the
gentleman
Angler that goeth to the River for his pleasure: this Angler hath
neither
judgement nor experience, he may come home light laden at his leisure.
A
man that goeth
to the River for his pleasure, must understand when he cometh there to
set forth his tackle: The first thing he must do, is to observe the Sun
and the Wind for day, the Moon, the Stars, and the wanes of the Aire
for
night, to set forth his tackles for day or night, and accordingly to go
for his pleasure and some profit.
For
example.
The Sun proves cloudy, then must you set forth either your ground bait
tackles, or of the brightest of your flyes. If the Sun prove bright and
clear, then must you put on the darkest of your flyes; thus must you to
work with your flyes, light for darkness, and dark for lightness, with
the wind in the South, which blowes the fly in the Trouts mouth. Though
I set down the wind in the South, I am indifferent where the wind
standeth,
either with ground-bait or menow, so that I can cast my bait into the
River.
The very same observation is for night as for day; for, if the Moone
prove
clear, or the Stars glitter in the sky, it is as ill angling that night
as if it were high noon in the midst of the summer, when the Sun
shineth
at the brightest, wherein there is no hopes of pleasure.
I
will begin
to angle for the Trout, and discourse his qualitie.
The
first thing
you must gain must be a neat taper rod light before, with a tender
hasel
top which is very gentle, with a single hair of five lengths long, one
tyed to another, for the bottom of my line, and a line of three haired
links for the uppermost part, and so you may kill the greatest Trout
that
swims, with sea-room.
Now
I say he
that angles with a line made of three haired links for the bottom, and
more at the top, may kill fish, but he that angles with a line made of
one haired link, shall kill five to the others one; for, the Trout is
very
quick-sighted, therefore the best way either for night or day is to
keep
out of sight.
You
must angle
alwayes with the point of the rod down the stream, for trouts have not
quickness of sight so perfect up the stream as they have opposite
against
them.
But
observe the
seasonable times. For example, we begin to angle in March: if
it
prove cloudy, you may angle with the ground baits all day long: but if
it prove bright and clear, you must take evening and morning, or else
you
are not like to do good: so times must be observed and truly
understood;
for when an angler cometh to the River for his pleasure, and doth not
understand
to set forth his tackles fit for the time, it is as good keep them in
the
bag as to set them forth.
Now
I am determined
to angle with the ground baits, and set my tackles to my rod, and go to
my pleasure. I begin at the uppermost part of the stream, carrying my
line
with an upright hand, feeling my plummet running truly on the ground
some
ten inches from the hook, plumming my line according to the swiftness
of
the stream I angle in, for one plummet will not serve for all streams;
for the true angling is that the plummet run truly on the ground.
For
the bait,
the red knotted worm is very good, where Brandlins are not to be had;
but
Brandlins are better.
Now
I will shew
you how to make these Brandlins fit to angle with, and to make them
lusty
and fat, that they may live long on the hook, which causeth the best
sport;
for that is a chief point, and causeth the best sport.
You
must take
the yolk of an egg, and some eight or ten spoonfulls of the top of new
milk, beaten well together in a porringer, warm it a little until you
see
it curdle, then take it off the fire and set it to cool; when it is
cold,
take a spoonful and drop it on the moss in an earthen pot, every drop
about
the bigness of a green pease, shifting your moss twice in the summer,
and
once a week in the winter. Thus doing, you shall feed your worms and
make
them fat and lusty, that they will live long and be lusty and lively on
your hook. And thus you may keep them all the year long. This is my
true
experiment for the ground baits, with the running line for the trout.
My
Lord, I will
now shew the angling with a Menow (called in some places Pincks) for
the
Trout, which is a pleasant sport, and killeth the greatest fish: The
Trout
cometh boldly at the bait, as if it were a Mastiffe dog at a Beare; you
may angle with greater Tackles and stronger, and be no prejudice in
your
Angling. A line made of three silks and three hairs twisted for the
uppermost
part of your line, and a line made of two silks and two hairs twisted
for
the bottome next your hook, with a swivel nigh the middle of your line,
and an indifferent long hook. But if you can attain to angle with a
line
of foure haired links for the uppermost part, and a line of three
haired
links for the bottom, for the finer you angle with, it is the
better.
Now
I must shew
you how to bait the menow on your hook: You must put your hook through
the lowermost part of the menow's mouth, so draw your hook through;
then
put the hook in at the mouth again, let the point of the hook come out
at the hindmost fin; then draw your line and the menow's mouth will
close,
that no water get into its belly; you must be alwayes angling with the
point of your rod down the stream, drawing your menow up the side of
the
stream by little & little, nigh the top of the water; the trout
seeing
the bait, cometh at it most fiercely; give a little time before you
strike.
This is the true way without lead, for many times I have had them come
at the lead and forsake the menow. He that trieth shall prove it in
time.
My
Lord, I will
shew you the way to angle with a flye, which is a delightfull sport.
The
rod must
be light and tender, if you can fit your self with a hasel of one
piece,
or of two pieces set together in the most convenient manner, light and
gentle. Set your line to your rod, for the uppermost part you may use
your
own discretion, for the lowermost part next your flye it must be of
three
or four haired links. If you can attain to angle with a line of one
hair,
two or three links one tyed to another next your hook, you shall have
more
rises and kill more fish. Be sure you do not overload your self with
lengths
of your line. Before you begin to angle make a triall, having the wind
on your back, to see at what length you can cast your flye, that the
flye
light first into the water, and no longer, for if any of the line fall
into the water before the flye, it is better uncast than thrown. Be
sure
you be casting alwayes down the stream with the wind behind you, and
the
Sun before you. It is a speciall point to have the Sun and moon before
you, for the very motion of the rod drives all the pleasure from you,
either
by day or by night in all your anglings, both with worms and flyes,
there
must be a great care of that.
Let
us begin
to angle in March with the flye. If the weather prove windy or cloudy,
there are severall kinds of Palmers that are good for that time.
First, a black
Palmer ribbed with silver. Secondly, a black Palmer ribbed with an
orenge-tawny
body. Thirdly, a black Palmer made all of black. Fourthly, a red Palmer
ribbed with gold. Fifthly, a red palmer mixed with an orenge tawny body
of cruell. All these flyes must be made with hackles, and they will
serve
all the year long morning and evening, windy or cloudy. Without these
flyes
you cannot make a dayes angling good. I have heard say that there is
for
every moneth in the year a flye for that moneth; but that is but talk,
for there is but one monethly flye in the yeare, that is the May-flye.
Then if the aire prove clear you must imitate the Hawthorn flye, which
is all black and very small, the smaller the better. In May take the
May
flye, imitate that. Some make it with a shammy body, and ribbed with a
black hair. Another way it is made with sandy hogs hair ribbed with
black
silk, and winged with Mallards feathers, according to the fancy of the
angler, if he hath judgement. For first, when it comes out of the
shell,
the flye is somewhat whiter, then afterwards it growes browner, so
there
is judgement in that. There is another fly called the oak-flye that is
a very good flye, which is made of orenge colour cruell and black, with
a brown wing, imitate that. There is another flye made with the strain
of a Peacocks feather, imitating the Flesh-flye, which is very good in
a bright day. The Grasse-hopper which is green, imitate that. The
smaller
these flyes be made, and of indifferent small hooks, they are the
better.
These sorts which I have set down will serve all the year long,
observing
the times and seasons, if the angler have any judgement. Note the
lightest
of your flies for cloudy and dark, and the darkest of your flyes for
the
brightest dayes, and the rest for indifferent times; a mans own
j[u]dgement
with some experience must guide him: If he mean to kill fish he must
alter
his flyes according to these directions. Now of late I have found that
hogs wooll of several colours makes good bodies, & the wooll of a
red
heifer makes a good body, and beares wooll makes a good body: there are
many good furres that make good bodies: and now I work much of hogs
wooll,
for I finde it floateth best and procureth the best sport.
The
naturall
flye is sure angling, and will kill great store of trouts with much
pleasure.
As for the May flie you shall have him playing alwayes at the rivers
side,
especially against rain: the Oak flie is to be had on the but of an oak
or an ash, from the beginning of May to the end of August; it is a
brownish
flie, and standeth alwaies with his head towards the root of the tree,
very easie to be found: the small black fly is to be had on every
hathorn
tree after the buds be come forth: your grasse-hopper which is to be
had
in any medow of grass in June or July. With these flies you must angle
with such a rod as you angle with the ground bait: the line must not be
so long as the rod, drawing your flye as you find convenient in your
angling!
When you come to the deep waters that stand somewhat still, make your
line
two yards long or thereabouts, and dop or drop your flye behind a bush,
which angling I have had good sport at; we call it dopping.
My
Lord sent
to me at Sun going down to provide him a good dish of Trouts against
the
next morning by sixe of the clock, I went to the door to see how the
wanes
of the aire were like to prove. I returned answer, that I doubted not,
God willing, but to be provided at his time appointed. I went presently
to the river, and it proved very dark, I drew out a line of three silks
and three hairs twisted for the uppermost part, and a line of two hairs
and two silks twisted for the lower part, with a good large hook: I
baited
my hook with two lob-worms, the four ends hanging as meet as I could
guess
them in the dark, I fell to angle. It proved very dark, so that I had
good
sport angling with the lob worms as I do with the flye on the top of
the
water; you shall hear the fish rise at the top of the water, then you
must
loose a slack line down to the bottom as nigh as you can guess, then
hold
your line strait, feeling the fish bite, give time, there is no doubt
of
losing fish, for there is not one among twenty but doth gorge the bait;
the least stroke you can strike fastens the hook and makes the fish
sure;
letting the fish take a turn or two you may take the fish up with your
hands. The night began to alter and grow somewhat lighter, I took off
the
lob-worms and set to my rod a white Palmer-flye, made of a large hook;
I had sport for the time untill it grew lighter; so I took off the
white
Palmer and set to a red Palmer made of a large hook; I had good sport
untill
it grew very light: then I took off the red Palmer and set to a black
Palmer;
I had good sport, made up the dish of fish. So I put up my tackles and
was with my Lord at his time appointed for the service.
These three flyes
with the help of the lob-worms serve to angle all the year for the
night,
observing the times as I have shewed you in this night-work, the white
flye for darknesse, the red flye in medio, and the black flye
for
lightnesse. This is the true experience for angling in the night, which
is the surest angling of all, and killeth the greatest Trouts. Your
lines
may be strong, but must not be longer then your rod.
THe
rod light
and taper, thy tackle fine,
Thy lead ten
inches upon
the line;
Bigger or lesse,
according to
the stream,
Angle in the
dark, when
others dream:
Or in a cloudy day
with a lively
worm,
The Brandlin
is best,
but give him a turn
Before thou do land
a large wel
grown Trout.
And if with
a flye thou
wilt have about,
Overload not with
links, that
the flye nay fall
First on the
stream, for
that's all in all.
The line shorter
than the rods,
with a naturall flye:
But the
chief point of
all is the cookery.
Now having taken
a good dish of Trouts I presented them to my Lord. He having provided
good
company, commanded me to turn Cook and dress them for dinner.
Whereu[pon]
I gave my Lord this bill of fare, which did furnish his table as it was
furnished with flesh.
Trouts
in broth,
which is restorative, which must be boyled in milk, putting to it some
large mace, letting it boyle up. Before you put the trouts into the
Kettle,
the trouts must be drawn and clean washed before you put them in. So
keep
them with high boyling, untill you think them boyled sufficient. Then
you
must take a slice or two of good sweet butter and put into your dish,
so
pour on the broth, having provided the yolks of half a dozen eggs,
being
very well beaten in a dish or porringer, pour it into your broth, so
stir
it well; I make no doubt it will be good broth.
The
broth eaten,
provide for the sauce some butter, the inner part of a lemmon, the yolk
of an egge well beaten together, so pour it into the dish, I make no
doubt
but it will be well liked of. If they doe not like of this broth, when
you boyle other trouts for the service, let the trouts be boyled
sufficiently
in such liquor as I will shew you now following. You may take the
quantity
of a quart of the top of the liquor with half a pint of Sack, boyle it
together, then provide the yolks of halfe a dozen eggs well beaten
together;
beat all this together with a slice or two of good sweet butter; no
doubt
but this will be very good.
Now
we must have
two dishes of calvored Trouts hot. For the first course the sauce shall
be butter and vinegar, 2 or 3 Anchoves, the bones taken out, beaten
together
with the yolk of one egge for one of the dishes, with a lemmon squeezed
on them. For the other dish the sauce and purtenances shall be a quart
of oysters stewed in half a pint of Whitewine, so put on the fish, then
butter and vinegar being well beaten, with the yolk of an egge poured
on
that, squeezing a lemmon on the fish, there is no doubt but they will
be
eaten with delight.
Out
of this kettle
we must have two dishes to eat cold for the latter course.
First I will
shew you the punctuall boyling and calvoring of four dishes.
You
must draw
out the entrails of the fish, cutting the fish two or three times
crosse
the backe, lay them on a tray or platter, sprinkle a little salt on
them,
you must have a quart of vinegar put in a skellet and let it boyle,
when
it boyles take it off the fire and pour it upon your fish, you shall
see
your fish rise presently, if they be new, and there is no doubt of
calvoring;
you must put so much water in your kettle as you think will cover them;
you must put in a handful of salt, some rosemary, thyme, and sweet
marjoram
in a bunch; then you must make this liquor boyle with a fierce fire
made
of wood: when the liquor hath boyled very well, put in your fish by and
by untill you have put in all, keeping them boyling, having provided a
cover for your kettle, so put on the cover; you must have a pair of
bellows
to blow up your fire with speed, that the liquor may boyl up to the top
of the kettle, then put in the vinegar that you poured on them before
you
put them into the kettle, then blow up your liquor with a fierce fire,
for the fierce boyling makes the fish to calvor: if the fish be new
killed
you may let them boyle a quarter of an hour; when they are cold you may
put them into a tray or earthen pan, and make such use of them as you
have
for the the other services, and the rest you may put into a pan untill
you have oocasion to use them; be sure they lie covered in the liquor
they
were boyled in. First put in the one Trout: let one blow up the fire
untill
the liquor boyle, then put in another; so do untill all are in and
boyled.
We
must have
one dish of Broyled Trouts, when the intrails be taken out, you must
cut
them across the side: being washed clean, you must take some sweet
herbs,
as thyme, sweet marjoram, and parlsey chopped very small, the trouts
being
cut somewhat thick, and fill the cuts full with the chopt herbs, then
make
your gridiron fit to put them on, being well cooked with rough suet,
then
lay the Trouts on a charcoal-fire: as you turn them bast them with
fresh
butter untill you think they are well broyled: the sauce must be butter
and vinegar, the yolk of an egge beaten, beat all together and put it
on
the fish for the service.
To
fry a dish
of Trouts you must take such a quantity of suet as you shall think
sufficient
to fry them, and put it in your pan, and be sure that it boyle before
you
put in your fish, being cut on the side and floured, you must keep them
with sitting all the time you are frying them: being fryed
sufficiently,
when you have dished them the sauce must be butter, vinegar, and some
lemmon,
but very small, and beaten with your butter and vinegar, then poured on
your fish for the service.
The
best dish
of stewed fish that ever I heard commended of the English, was dressed
this way: First they were broiled on a charcoale fire, being cut on the
side as fried Trouts, then the stwe pan was taken and set on a
chaffingdish
of coles, there was put into the stew-pan half a pound of sweet butter,
one peniworth of beaten cinnamon, a little vinegar; when all was melted
the fish was put into the pan, and covered with a covering plate, so
kept
stewing half an hour, being turned, then taken out of the stew-pan and
dished, be sure to beat your sauce before you put it on your fish, then
squeeze a lemmon on your fish: it was the best dish of fish that ever I
heard commended by Noblemen and Gentlemen. This is our English fashion.
There are divers
wayes of stewing; this which I set down last was the English way: But
note
this, that your stewed trouts must be cut on the side: you may make a
dish
of stwewed trouts out of your boyling kettle, stewing of them with the
same materialls as I did the broiled trouts, I dare warrant them good
meat,
and to be very well liked.
The
Italian he
stews upon a chaffing-dish of coles, with whitewine, cloves and mace,
nutmegs
sliced, a little ginger; you must understand when this fish is stewed,
the same liquor that the fish is stewed in must be beaten with some
sweet
butter and juice of a lemmon, before it is dished for the service. The
French doth adde to this a slice or two of bacon, Though I have been no
[t]raveller I may speak it, for I have been admitted into the most
Ambassadors
Kitchins that have come into England this forty years, and do wait on
them
stil at the Lord Protector's charge, and am paid duly for it: for
sometimes
I see slovenly scullions abuse good fish most grosly.
We
must have
a Trout pie to eat hot, and another to eat cold: the first thing you
must
gain must be a peck of the best wheaten flower, two pound of butter,
two
quarts of milk new from the Cow, half a dozen of eggs to make the past.
Where I was born there is not a girle of ten yeares of age, but can
make
a pie.
For
one pie,
the trouts shall be opened, and the guts taken out and clean washed,
seasoned
with pepper and salt, then laid in the pie, half a pound of currans put
among the fish with a pound of sweet butter cut in pieces, and set on
the
fish, so close it up; when it is baked and come out of the oven, pour
into
the pie three or four spoonfulls of claret wine, so dish it and serve
to
the table. These trouts shall eat moist and close.
For
the other
pie the trouts shall be broyled a little, it will make the fish rise
and
eat more crisp: season them with pepper and salt and lay them in the
pie:
you must put more butter in this pie than the other, for this will
keep,
and must be filled up with butter when it cometh forth of the oven.
There is one
good trout of a good length, some eighteen or twentry inches long, we
will
have that rosted.
You
must take
out the intrails of this trout with opening the trout one inch at the
upper
end of his belly, as nigh the gills as you can; then open the trout
within
one inch of the vent, so you may take the intailes clean out: then wash
the trout very clean, keeping the belly whole: then take half a pound
of
sweet butter, some thyme, sweet marjoram and parsley chopt very small,
mix the butter and herbs together and put them into his belly, with
half
a dozen of oysters, sew up the two slits wih a needle and thred as well
as you can: there are broches made to rost a fish, for want of that
broch
you must take an ordinary broch and spit the fish on; take four or five
small laths full the length of the fish, tie those laths on about the
fish
with a piece of packthred from one end to the other, make the fish fast
on the spit, set the spit to the fire; the first thing you bast the
fish
with must be a little claret wine, next you must bast with butter, with
an anchovas beaten together, then bast with the liquor that falleth
from
the fish untill the fish is rosted; when the fish is rosted take a warm
dish and cut the fish off into that dish; then beat the sauce that came
from the fish very well, and pour it on the fish, and serve it up.
I
will shew you
the way to marionate a trout or other fish, that it shall keep
a
quarter of a year in the heat of summer, which is the Italians rarest
dish
for fresh fish, and will eat perfect and sweet.
You
must take
out the intrailes and cut them on the side as you do to fry: being
washed
clean and dried with a cloth, lay them on a tray or board, sprinkle a
little
salt on them, flower them as to fry them, so take your frying pan with
so much suet as when it is melted the fish may lie up to the mid-sides
in the liquor, fry them, and every time you turn them flower again,
untill
you finde that they are fried sufficiently: when you think the fish is
dried, take it out of the pan and lay it upon something that the liquor
may drein out of it: when the fish is cold you may rear it on end; you
must provide a close vessel to keep this fish and liquor in, that no
wind
can come in, according to the quantity you make triall of; the liquor
must
be half claretwine, the other half vinegar, two or three bay leaves, so
much saffron as a nut tied in a cloth, with some cloves and large mace,
and some nutmegs sliced: boyl all this together very well, when the
liquor
is cold and the fish cold put the liquor into a close vessell, and put
the fish into it, then slice three or four lemmons and lay among your
fish,
make all close that no wind can come into the vessell. After eight or
ten
dayes you may begin to eat of this fish; the sauce to eat with this
fish
must be some of the same liquor with some of the sliced lemmon. You
must
understand that this fish must have a little time before it will come
to
his kind.
REstorative
broth of Trouts learne to make:
Some fry and
some stew,
and some also bake.
First broyl and
then bake, is
a rule of good skill,
And when
thou dost fortune
a great trout to kill,
Then rost him, and
baste first
with good claret wine,
But the
colvor'd boyl'd
trout will make thee to dine
With dainty
contentment, both
the hot and the cold,
And the
marrienate Trout
I dare to be bold
For a quarter of a
year wil keep
to thy mind,
If covered
close &
preserved from wind.
But mark well good
brother, what
now I doe say,
Sauce made of
Anchoves is an
excellent way,
With oysters
and lemmon,
clove, nutmeg and mace,
When the
brave spotted
trout hath been boyled apace
With ma[n]y sweet
herbs: for
forty years I
In
Ambassadours Kitchins
learn'd my cookery.
The French and
Italian no better
can doe,
Observe well
my rules
and you'l say so too.
_________________________________________
I will now
shew you the way
to take a Salmon.
THe first thing you
must gain must
be a rod of some ten foot in the stock, that will carry a top of six
foot
pretty stiffe and strong, the reason is, because there must be a little
wire ring at the upper end of the top for the line to run through, that
you may take up and loose the line at your pleasure; you must have your
winder within two foot of the bottom to goe on your rod made in this
manner,
with a spring, that you may put it on as low as you please.
The Salmon
swimmeth most commonly
in the midst of the river. In all his travells his desire is to see the
uppermost part of the river, travelling on his journey in the heat of
the
day he may take a bush; if the fisherman espy him, he goeth at him with
his speare, so shortneth his journey.
The
angler that
goeth to catch him with a line and hook, must angle for him as nigh the
middle of the water as he can with one of these baits: He must take two
lob-worms baited as handsomly as he can, that the four ends may hang
meet
of a length, and so angle as nigh the bo[t]tom as he can, feeling your
plummet run on the ground some twelve inches from the hook: if you
angle
for him with a flie (which he will rise at like a Trout) the flie must
be made of a large hook, which hook must carry six wings, or four at
least;
there is judgement in making those flyes. The Salmon will come at a
Gudgeon
in the manner of a trouling, and cometh at it bravely, which is fine
angling
for him and good. You must be sure that you have your line of twenty
six
yards of length, that you may have your convenient time to turne him,
or
else you are in danger to lose him: but if you turn him you are very
like
to have the fish with small tackles: the danger is all in the running
out
both of Salmon and Trout, you must forecast to turn the fish as you do
a wild horse, either upon the right or the left hand, & wind up
your
line as you finde occasion in the guiding the fish to the shore, having
a good large landing hook to take him up.
This fish being
killed, if it be not boyled well, then all your labor and pains is
lost.
If you boyl the fish whole, you must take out the intrailes, cutting
the
fish three or four times crosse the back, and an inch along the back
three
or four times crossing the former cuts; by that reason you shall see
whether
he calvors or no. then you must take a tray according to the length of
the Salmon, being dried with a clean cloth; then you must take the
Salmon
and lay it on the tray, so salt the fish within and without with an
indifferent
hand, that will give a good relish. Then you must take a quart of the
best
whitewine vinegar and put it in a skellet and set it on the fire, and
let
it boyle well and high, so pour it all along on your Salmon, you shall
see the Salmon rise presently, and very like to calvor, if the Salmon
be
new killed, so let it lie untill you are ready to spend it. Then you
must
take such a pan or kettle that you think the Salmon will lie well in,
and
set it on the fire made of good drie faggots, and put so much water in
the pan or kettle as you think will cover the fish and no more, with
two
or three handfulls of salt, one pint of vinegar, a good bunch of
rosemary,
thyme and sweet marjoram tied together, make this liquor boyle very
high,
then put in your Salmon, having a good paire of bellowes to blow up
your
fire that the liquor may boyle with speed, then put the vinegar in that
was put on the Salmon first, make it boyle up presently, so take your
cover
and put on, keeping the liquor and Salmon boyling with a fierce fire
nigh
the space of an hour. If you chine the Salmon and cut the fish in
pieces,
somewhat lesse boyling will serve. If you keep it to eat cold you must
put the liquor and fish all cold together, and make it close, that as
little
wind come in as you can. If you will eat any of this hot, the sauce is
butter, a little vinegar, a lemmon shred very small, beaten together,
then
the yolks of two eggs beaten & put in the sauce, & beaten very
well all together; so being dished pour it on the fish and serve it up
to the table, I do not doubt but the dish will be well liked.
CLose
to
the botom in the midst of the water
I fished for a
Salmon and there
I caught her.
My Plummet twelve
inches from
the large hook,
Two lob-wormes
hang'd equall,
which she never forsook.
Nor yet the great
hook with the
six winged flye,
And she makes at a
gudgeon most
furiously.
My strong line was
just twenty
six yards long,
I gave him a turne
though I found
him strong.
I wound up my
tackle to guide
him to shore;
The landing hook
helps much,
the cookery more.
N O W
we will see whether
we can take a Pike.
There was one
of my name the best Trouler for a Pike within this Realm of England:
the
manner of his trouling was with a hasell rod some twelve foot long,
with
a ring of wire in the top of the rod for his line to run through:
within
two foot of the bottom of the rod there was a hole made to put in a
winder
to turn with a barrell, to gather up his line and loose it at his
pleasure.
This was his manner of trouling with a small fish.
There are severall
other wayes to take Pikes.
There is a way
to take a Pike, which is called the taking a Pike by snap, for
which
angling you must have a pretty strong rod, for you must angle with a
line
no longer than your rod, which must be very strong, that you may hold
the
fish to it; your hook must be strong and armed with wire of two lengths
long: you must bait the fish with the head upwards, and the point must
come forth of his side a little above his vent. In all your baitings
for
a Pike you must enter the needle where the point cometh forth, so draw
your arming through untill the hook lieth according as you think fit,
them
make it fast with a little thred to the wire, so fall to work: the bait
must be a Gudgeon if you can get it, or a small Trout, which is the
best,
or else some other small fish.
Now
I will pawn
my credit that I will shew a way either in mayre, or pond, or river,
that
shall take more pikes than any trouler shall do with his rod. And thus
it is: First take a forked stick, a line of twelve yards long wound
upon
it. At the upper end leave a yard either to tie a bunch of fags or a
bladder
to boy up the fish, to carry the bait from the ground, that the fish
may
swim clear. The bait must be a live fish, either dace, gudgeon, or
roche,
or a small trout. The forked stick must have a slit on the one side of
the fork, that you may put the line in, that the live fish may swim at
that gage you set the fish to swim at, that when the Pike taketh the
bait,
the Pike may have the full liberty of the line for his feed; you may
turne
all these loose, either in pond or river all day long, the more the
better,
and do it in a pond with the wind: at night set a small weight, such as
may stay the boy, as a ship lieth at anchor, untill the fish feedeth:
for
the river you must turn all loose with the stream, two or three be
sufficient
to shew pleasure. Gaged at such a depth they will goe current down the
stream: there is no doubt of pleasure if there be Pikes; the hooks must
be double hooks, the shanks must be somewhat shorter than ordinary. My
reason is, the shorter the hooks be in the shank, it will hurt the live
fish the lesse, and it must be armed with small wire well seasoned: But
I hold a hook armed with twisted silk to be better, for it will hurt
the
live fish the lesse. If you arme your hook with wire, the needle must
be
made with a hook at the end thereof: if you arm your hook with silk, if
it be double the same needle will serve; but if you arm the hook
single,
the needle must be made with an eye, and then you must take one of the
baits alive, which you can get, and with one of your needles enter the
fish within a straw breadth of the gill; so put the needle in betwixt
the
skin & the fish, then put the needle out at the hindmost fin, and
so
to come forth at the gill, then put on the hook, and it will hurt the
live
fish the lesse: so knit the arming with the live fish to the line, then
put off either in maire or pond, with the wind, in the river, with the
stream, the more you put of them in the maire, you are like to have the
more pleasure: for the river three or four will be sufficient.
There is a time
when pikes go a frogging, and also to sun themselves, there is a speedy
way to take them, and not to misse one in twenty. You must take a line
made of good twisted thred of some six or eight foot long; arm a large
hook of some two inches in the bent betwixt beard and bent, arme it to
your line, lead the shank of the hook very handsome, that it may guide
the hook at your pleasure; you may strike the Pike where you please, as
you see good, with the bare hook. This line and hook doth goe beyond
all
snaring.
The
principall
sport to take a Pike is to take a Goose, or Gander, or Duck, take one
of
the Pikes lines, as I have shewed you before, tie the line under the
left
wing and over the right wing, as a man weareth his belt, turne the
Goose
off in a pond where Pikes are, there is no doubt of pleasure betwixt
the
Goose and the Pike. It is the greatest pleasure that a noble Gentleman
in Shropshire giveth his friends for entertainment. There is no
question
among all this fishing but we shall take a brace of good Pikes.
I
will now shew
you the way to dresse them.
The
first thing
you must doe when the Pike comes in the Kitchin, if it be alive, is to
knock the Pike in the head, that the Pike may bleed, then take an
handfull
of salt and water, so rub him and scoure him to take the slime off, or
else there will be durty meat; then take out the intrailes, cut the
Pike
crosse the back two or three times, salt it well within and without,
set
on your Kettle with so much water as will cover the Pike, put in three
or four handfulls of salt, some good rosemary, thyme, sweet marjoram,
tied
together, three or 4 onions, so make your liquor boyle very high with a
good fire made of dry faggots, then put in your pike, having your
bellowes
to blow up the fire that the liquor may boyle up to the top of the
Kettle
for the space of half an hour, by that time it may be boyled
sufficiently;
then take the Kettle off the fire, then provide a quart of oysters and
stew them in half a pint of white-wine; then take half a pound of good
butter, you make take a little of the liquor off the top of the Kettle,
beat the butter and liquor together with 2 or 3 anchoves, the skin
taken
off and the bones taken out, with a piece of lemmon chopped very small,
beat all these together, beat the yolk of an egge & put it into the
sauce, then beat all together, so dish your Pike, put the oysters on
first,
then pour on your sauce, there is no doubt but it will be good
victualls.
In
the Country
where I was born we had spits made of iron to rost a Pike or a Carp;
you
must take water and salt and rub the fish well to take the slime off.
To
take the intrailes out you must open the fish, cutting the fish an inch
in the uppermost part of the belly, and one inch at the vent, so you
may
take out the intrailes and keep the belly whole: wash the Pike cleane,
take halfe a pound of sweet butter, mix the butter with sweet herbs
well
chopped, put in the Pikes belly with halfe a dozen of oysters, make
your
cuts as close as you can. For want of such a broch you must have four
or
five thin laths, so tie the fish on with some packthred from one end to
the other, so set your spit to the fire to rost; when it begins to dry
a little, take three or four spoonfulls of Claret wine, and baste it
first
therewith, then take a quarter of a pound of good butter and melt it in
a porringer; take two or three anchoves, the skin taken off and bones
taken
out, beat the butter and anchoves together untill the anchoves be
dissolved,
then baste the fish with that next, so baste all along with that liquor
that falleth from the fish, then warme the dish that must goe to the
table,
and cut the packthred and let it fall into that dish, so take the
liquor
that is fallen from the fish and beat it very well together, and pour
it
on the fish, squeezing a lemon or two on the fish, no doubt but the
fish
will be eaten and wel liked.
A
Rod twelve
foot long, and a ring of wire,
A winder and
barrell will help
thy desire
In killing a Pike,
but the forked
stick
With a slit and a
bladder, and
that other fine trick,
Which our Artists
call Snap,
with a Goose or a Duck,
Will kil two for
one if thou
have any luck.
The Gentry of
Shropshire do merrily
smile,
To see a Goose and
a belt the
fish to beguile.
When a Pike suns
himselfe and
a frogging doth go,
The two inched hook
is better
I know
Than the ord'nary
snaring: but
still I must cry
When the Pike is at
home minde
the cookery.
To
take a Carp
either in pond or river, if you mean to have sport with some profit,
you
must take a peck of ale graines and a good quantity of blood, so mix
the
the blood and graines together, casting it in the place where you mean
to angle; this will gather all the scale-fish together, as Carp, Tench,
Roch, Dace, and Bream. The next morning be at your sport very early:
plumme
your ground, you may angle for the Carp with stronger tackles than
ordinary,
with a strong line; for your roch and Dace you must angle with fine
tackles
as single haired lines, if you mean to have sport: the bait must be
either
a knotted worme or paste for a Carp, but for your Roch and Dace your
bait
must be either wormes, paste, or gentles, or cadice, or a flye. There
is
no doubt of sport.
LAte
in the
evening the ale graines and blood,
Being well mixt
together is bait
very good
For Carp, Tench and
Roch, and
Dace to prepare,
If early in the
morning at the
river you are.
Strong tackle for
Carp; for Roch
and Dace fine,
Will help thee with
fish sufficient
for to dine.
For the Carp let
thy bait the
knotted worm be,
The rest love the
cadice, the
paste and the flye.
To
take a Perch,
The Perch feeds well if you light where they be, and biteth very free.
My opinion with some experience is to feed with lob-worms chopped in
pieces
over night; so in the morning betimes, plumming your ground, gaging
your
line, bait with a red knotted worm, but I hold a menow to be better to
bait: put your hook in at the back of the menow betwixt the flesh &
the skin, that the menow may swim up and down, your line being boyed up
with a cork or quill, that the menow may swim up and down a foot from
the
ground, there is no doubt of sport and profit.
For
the Chub
and Barbell I have no minde to spend much time, because I do
not
love them, the reason is, because the fish is very full of bones, and
in
my opinion they are good no way but baked in a pot, putting into the
pot
half a pint of Claret to dissolve the bones, and then you may eat them
somewhat safely. For the Chub you may angle with a flye or a black
snaile;
and if you take him, if you do not like that way of dressing, you may
slit
the fish along the back, the scales being taken off, and the intrails
taken
out, and flower it, so fry it: see whether this dressing is better than
baking. A good sauce may make the fish eat better: the sauce is butter,
a little vinegar, with a lemmon chopped very small, beaten well
together.
This may make the fish eat the better.
For
the Barbell,
I have taken great ones in Ware river with wormes, for I know
no
better bait than wormes: you have a kind of fishing for them at London
bridge with three or four hooks fixt to a line with a great plummet, so
scratch for them. I was acquainted with Nicholas Harridans that
lived nigh Algate, who hath killed many a dish of Barbells that way
with
scratching, and he would tell me that they were good souced & no
other
way, but I have eaten some boyled, but I did not fancy them.
The
Gudgeon
is a dainty fish to eat being dressed when they are new taken, either
fried
or boyled, and bites very well. If you come where they are you must
angle
for them with fine tackle, plummed, that your bait goeth nigh the
ground
with cork or quill: for the bait, there is a worm which is a little
short
worme, and is called a Gild-taile, which is the best bait I know for
them.
For the dressing, you may take your choice, either boyled or fryed; the
sauce is butter and a little vinegar, to give the relish, well beaten
together,
with a little piece of a lemmon to squeeze on them. I make no question
but you will like them well.
There are many
wayes to take Eeles: I will shew you a good way to take a dish
of
Eeles. When you stay a night or two to angle in a river or pond, take
four
or five lines of some twelve or fourteen yards long, & every two
yards
make a noose to hang a hook armed with double thred, for it is better
than
wire. Bait your hooks with millers thumbs, loaches, menows, or gudgons,
tie to every line a hook baited. The lines must be laid cross the river
in the deepest places, either with stones or pegged, so that the line
lay
close to the bottom of the river, there is no doubt of taking a dish of
Eeles. You must have a small needle with an eye to bait your hooks.
There is a fish in my Countrey (viz. Shropshire) called a Grayling,
which swimmeth in the gallant river of Severn, and all the
summer
lie in the shallow streams of the River, and cometh very free at the
top
of the water, with much delight and profit. The manner of angling for
him
is with a good long rod with casting. The bait must be either a small
artificiall
or a nature flye. The oak flye is easie to be had there, either on the
butt of an oak or the butt of an ash. Sometimes these flyes will not be
found, then you must provide some cod bait, they lie in a gravelly husk
under stones in most small rivers. The May-flye breedeth on that worm,
and doth continue until the end of May. This fish is a dainty eating
fish;
you may make as many good eating dishes of it as of a Trout, four
severall
wayes.
Now
the way to
angle with the Cod bait (as we call it) but named here a cadice, is as
followeth.
You
must angle
with a long rod, but light, your line somewhat longer than the rod. The
Grayling feedeth at the top of the water. You must have a little float
of cork so big around as a hasell nut, when the fish taketh the bait he
flyeth away, so that you shall see the cork flee after the fish, then
strike;
but you must consider this angling is without lead.
We
have Fishermen
in that Countrey that will go thirty or forty miles by land, and carry
their boat on their back, and so angle down all the way home, with this
way of angling, providing a little weele made of wicker to carry their
fish, so that they will bring home all their fish alive, whereby they
make
a very profitable journey.
There comes an
honest Gentleman, a familiar freind to me, he was an angler, begins to
complement with me and asked me how I did, and when I had been angling,
and demanded in discourse, what was the reason I did not relate in my
book
the dressing of his dish of fish which he loved; I pray you sir, said
I,
what dish of Trouts was that? He said it was a dish of close boyled
Trouts
buttered with eggs. My answer was to him, that every scullion dresseth
that dish against his will, because he cannot calvor them; I will tell
you in short: Put your Trouts into the Kettle when the Kettle is set on
the fire, and let them boyle gently, as many Cooks doe, and they shall
boyle close enough, which is a good dish buttered with eggs, good for
ploughmen,
but not for the palate. Sir, I hope I have given you satisfaction.
Now, I will shew
you how to make flyes. Learn to make two flyes and make all, that is,
the
Palmer ribbed with gold or silver, and the Mayflye. These are the
ground
of all flyes.
We
will begin
to make the Palmer-flye. You must arm your line on the in-side your
hook,
then take your sizzers and cut so much of the browne of the Mallards
feather
as in your owne reason shall make the wings, then lay the outermost
part
of the feather near the hook, and the point of the feather next toward
the shank of the hook, so whip it three or four times about the hook
with
the same silk you armed the hook with , so make your silk fast; then
you
must take the hackle of a cock or capon, or a plovers top feather, then
take the hackle, silk, or cruell, gold or silver thred, make all fast
at
the bent of the hook, then begin to work with the cruell, and silver
thred,
work it up to the wings, every bout shifting your fingers and making a
stop, then the cruell and silver will fall right, then make fast, then
work up the hackle to the same place, then make the hackle fast; then
you
must take the hook betwixt your fingers and thumb in the left hand,
with
a needle or pin part the wings in two, so take the silk you have
wrought
with all this while, and whip once about the shank that falleth crosse
betwixt the wings; than with your thumb you must turn the point of the
feather towards the bent of the hook, so view the proportion.
For
other flyes,
if you make the grounds of hogs wooll, sandy, or black, or white, or
the
wooll [of] a beare, or of a two-year old red bullock; you must work all
the grounds upon a waxed silk, then you must arm and set on the wings,
as I have shewed you before.
For
the May-flye,
you must work with some of these grounds, which it is very good ribbed
with a black hair; you may work the body with a cruell, imitating the
colour,
or with silver suitable to the wings.
For
the oak-flie,
you must take orenge-colour tawny, and black for the body, and the
browne
of the Mallards feather for the wings. If you do after my directions
they
will kill fish, observing the times fitting, and following former
directions.
If
any worthy
or honest Angler cannot hit of these my directions, let him come to me,
he shall read and I will work, he shall see all things done according
to
my foresaid directions. So I conclude for the flye, having shewed you
my
true experience.
A
Brother
of the Angle must alwaies be sped
With three black
Palmers, &
also two red,
And all made with
Hackles: in
a cloudy day,
Or in windy
weather, angle you
may:
But morning and
evening, if the
day be bright,
And the chief point
of all is
to keep out of sight.
In the moneth of
May, none but
the May-flye;
For every month
one, is a pitiful
lye:
The black hawthorn
flye must
be very small,
And the sandy hogs
haire is sure
best of all
For the Mallard
wing'd May-flye;
and the Peacocks train
Will look like the
flesh-flye
to kill Trout amaine.
The oak flye is
good, if it have
a brown wing,
So is the
Grashopper that in
July doth sing,
With a green body,
make him on
a midle siz'd hook;
But when you have
catcht fish,
then play the good Cook.
Once more my good
brother, Ile
speak in thy eare,
Hogs, red Cows,
& Bears wooll,
to float best appear,
And so doth your
fur, if rightly
it fall;
But alwayes
remember, make two
and make all.
I could set down
as many wayes to dress Eeles as would furnish a Lords table, but I will
relate but one.
Take off the
skin whole untill
you come within two inches of the taile; beginning at the head take out
the intrailes, wash the eele clean, dry it with a cloth, scotch it all
along on both the sides; take some pepper and salt, mix them together,
rub the Eele very well with the pepper and salt; draw the skin on again
whole, tie the skin about the head with a little thred lapped round; it
must be broyled on a charcole fire, let your gridiron be hot, rub your
gridiron well with rough suet, then the skin will neither break nor
burn.
The Eele will broyl in his own liquor, and will be a good dish. But,
take
the skin off and stew the Eele betwixt two dishes upon a chaffindish of
coles, with sweet butter, a little vinegar, with some beaten cinnamon,
that will be a rare dish.
The boyling of
a Carp is
the very same way as I have shewed you for the Trout, with the scales
on;
no better sauce can be made than anchoves sauce: The high boyling is
the
best for all fresh-water fish. I have served seven times seven years to
see the experiment.
If you desire
to make your
sauce black, if your Carp be alive, you must take your knife and thrust
it about the middle of his belly, then the Carp will bleed; so take a
little
vinegar and put it in a saucer, and as the blood falleth in stir it
about
untill all the blood is run. If the Carp be dead, take the cold blood
out
of the Carp and beat it with your sauce. This is called black sauce
for a Carp.
If there
be any Gentleman
that liveth adjoyning to a river side where Trouts are, I will shew him
the way to bring them to feed that he may see them at his pleasure. And
to bring store to the place, gather great garden-worms, the quantity of
a pint or a quart, chop them in pieces and throw them where you intend
to have your pleasure; with feeding often there is no doubt of their
coming,
they will come as sheep to the pen; you must begin to feed with pieces
of worms by hand by one and one, untill you see them feed; then you may
feed with liver and lights, so your pleasure will be effected.
I have a
willing mind with
Gods help to preserve all those that love this recreation, to goe dry
in
their boots and shooes, to preserve their healths, which one receit is
worth much more than this book will cost.
First, they
must take a pint
of Linseed oyle, with half a pound of mutton suet, six or eight ounces
of bees wax, and half a pinniworth of rosin, boyle all this in a pipkin
together, so let it coole untill it be milk warm, then take a little
hair
brush and lay it on your new boots; but its best that this stuff be
laid
on before the boot-maker makes the boots, then brush them once over
after
they come from him; as for old boots you must lay it on when your boots
be dry.
If you
want good Tackles
of all sorts, you must go to Mr. Oliver Fletcher at the west
end
of Pauls, at the sign of the three Trouts.
If you
would have
the best Hooks of all sorts, go to Charles Kirby, who lives in
shooe
lane at Harp alley, in Mill-yard.
If you
would have
a rod to beare and to sit neatly, you must go to John Hobs
who liveth at the sign of the George behind the Mews by Charing-crosse.
A
Live and
small minow is the best bait
To kill a
great Pearch
by Anglers deceit,
A black snaile is
the bait for
the bonny Chub,
A Barbell
souced is meat
very good.
The greedy Gudgeon
doth Love
the Gild taile,
And the
twelve yard line
doth never faile,
To kill of good
Eees an excellent
dish,
With nooses
and baits
of the little fish;
At the but of the
oak take you
the flye,
And kill the
Grayling
immediately.
But when of all
sorts thou hast
thy wish,
Follow Barkers
advice to cook the fish.
Think then of the
gatehouse,
for neere it lives he,
Who kindly
will teach
thee to make the flye.
And if thou live by
a river side,
Believe thou
thy friend
who often hath try'd,
And brought store
of fish, as
sheep to the pen;
But friend,
let me tell
thee once agen,
His art to keep
thee both warm
and dry,
Deserveth
thy love perpetually.
He names three men
to thee, like
a good friend,
Make use of
them all,
and so I end.
Noble
Lord,
I
Have found
an experience of late, which you may angle with, and take great
store of this kind of fish: first, it is the best bait for a Trout that
I have sen in all my time, and will take great store, and not faile, if
they be there. Secondly, it is a speciall bait for Dace, or Dare, good
for Chub, or Bottlin, or Grayling. The bait is the roe of a Salmon, or
Trout, if it be a large Trout, that the spawnes be any thing great. You
must angle for the Trout with this bait as you angle with the brandlin,
taking a paire of cisers and cut so much as a large Hasel nut, and bait
your hook, so fall to your sport, there is no doubt of pleasure. If I
had
known it it but twenty years agoe I would have gained a hundred pounds
onely with that bait.I am bound in duty to divulge it to your Honour,
and
not to carry it to my grave with me. I do desire that men of quality
should
have it that delight in that pleasure: The greedy Angler will murmur at
me, but for that I care not.
For the
angling for the
scale-fish they must angle either with cork or quill, plumming their
ground,
and with feeding with the same bait, taking them asunder that they may
spread abrod that the fish may feed and come to your place. there is no
doubt of pleasure angling with fine Tackles, as single haire lines at
least
five or six lengths long, a small hook with t[wo] or three spawns, the
bait will hold one week. If you keep it on any longer, you must hang it
up to dry a little: When you go to your pleasure again, put the bait in
a little water, it will come in again.
Sic
vale feliciter.
F I
N I S.
![[RenascenceEditions]](http://www.luminarium.org/renascence-editions/gifs/ren.gif)
