The Complete Angler 1653 Part 3

_Pisc_. 'Tis a match, Sir, I'l not fail you, G.o.d willing, to be at _Amwel Hil_ to morrow morning before Sunrising.

CHAP. II.

_Viat_. My friend _Piscator_, you have kept time with my thoughts, for the Sun is just rising, and I my self just now come to this place, and the dogs have just now put down an _Otter_, look down at the bottom of the hil, there in that Meadow, chequered with water Lillies and Lady-smocks, there you may see what work they make: look, you see all busie, men and dogs, dogs and men, all busie.

_Pisc_. Sir, I am right glad to meet you, and glad to have so fair an entrance into this dayes sport, and glad to see so many dogs, and more men all in pursuit of the _Otter_; lets complement no longer, but joine unto them; come honest _Viator_, lets be gone, lets make haste, I long to be doing; no reasonable hedge or ditch shall hold me.

_Viat_. Gentleman Huntsman, where found you this _Otter_?

_Hunt_. Marry (Sir) we found her a mile off this place a fishing; she has this morning eaten the greatest part of this _Trout_, she has only left thus much of it as you see, and was fishing for more; when we came we found her just at it: but we were here very early, we were here an hour before Sun-rise, and have given her no rest since we came: sure she'l hardly escape all these dogs and men. I am to have the skin if we kill him.

_Viat_. Why, Sir, whats the skin worth?

_Hunt_. 'Tis worth ten shillings to make gloves; the gloves of an _Otter_ are the best fortification for your hands against wet weather that can be thought of.

_Pisc_. I pray, honest Huntsman, let me ask you a pleasant question, Do you hunt a Beast or a fish?

_H_. Sir, It is not in my power to resolve you; for the question has been debated among many great Clerks, and they seem to differ about it; but most agree, that his tail is fish: and if his body be fish too, then I may say, that a fish will walk upon land (for an _Otter_ does so) sometimes five or six, or ten miles in a night. But (Sir) I can tell you certainly, that he devours much fish, and kils and spoils much more: And I can tell you, that he can smel a fish in the water one hundred yards from him (_Gesner_ sayes, much farther) and that his stones are good against the Falling-sickness: and that there is an herb _Benione_, which being hung in a linen cloth near a Fish Pond, or any haunt that he uses, makes him to avoid the place, which proves he can smell both by water and land. And thus much for my knowledg of the _Otter_, which you may now see above water at vent, and the dogs close with him; I now see he will not last long, follow therefore my Masters, follow, for _Sweetlips_ was like to have him at this vent.

_via_. Oh me, all the Horse are got over the river, what shall we do now?

_Hun_. Marry, stay a little & follow, both they and the dogs will be suddenly on this side again, I warrant you, and the _Otter_ too it may be: now have at him with _Kil buck_, for he vents again.

_via_. Marry so he is, for look he vents in that corner. Now, now _Ringwood_ has him. Come bring him to me. Look, 'tis a b.i.t.c.h _Otter_ upon my word, and she has lately whelped, lets go to the place where she was put down, and not far from it, you will find all her young ones, I dare warrant you: and kill them all too.

_Hunt_. Come Gentlemen, come all, lets go to the place where we put downe the _Otter_; look you, hereabout it was that shee kennell'd; look you, here it was indeed, for here's her young ones, no less then five: come lets kill them all.

_Pisc_. No, I pray Sir; save me one, and I'll try if I can make her tame, as I know an ingenuous Gentleman in _Leicester-shire_ has done; who hath not only made her tame, but to catch fish, and doe many things of much pleasure.

_Hunt_. Take one with all my heart; but let us kill the rest. And now lets go to an honest Alehouse and sing _Old Rose_, and rejoice all of us together.

_Viat_. Come my friend, let me invite you along with us; I'll bear your charges this night, and you shall beare mine to morrow; for my intention is to accompany you a day or two in fishing.

_Pisc_. Sir, your request is granted, and I shall be right glad, both to exchange such a courtesie, and also to enjoy your company.

_Viat_. Well, now lets go to your sport of Angling.

_Pisc_. Lets be going with all my heart, G.o.d keep you all, Gentlemen, and send you meet this day with another b.i.t.c.h _Otter_, and kill her merrily, and all her young ones too.

_Viat_. Now _Piscator_, where wil you begin to fish?

_Pisc_. We are not yet come to a likely place, I must walk a mile further yet before I begin.

_Viat_. Well then, I pray, as we walk, tell me freely how you like my Hoste, and the company? is not mine Hoste a witty man?

_Pisc_. Sir, To speak truly, he is not to me; for most of his conceits were either Scripture-jests, or lascivious jests; for which I count no man witty: for the Divel will help a man that way inclin'd, to the first, and his own corrupt nature (which he alwayes carries with him) to the latter. But a companion that feasts the company with wit and mirth, and leaves out the sin (which is usually mixt with them) he is the man: and indeed, such a man should have his charges born: and to such company I hope to bring you this night; for at _Trout-Hal_, not far from this place, where I purpose to lodg to night, there is usually an Angler that proves good company.

But for such discourse as we heard last night, it infects others; the very boyes will learn to talk and swear as they heard mine Host, and another of the company that shall be nameless; well, you know what example is able to do, and I know what the Poet sayes in the like case:

----_Many a one Owes to his Country his Religion: And in another would as strongly grow, Had but his Nurse or Mother taught him so_.

This is reason put into Verse, and worthy the consideration of a wise man. But of this no more, for though I love civility, yet I hate severe censures: I'll to my own Art, and I doubt not but at yonder tree I shall catch a _Chub_, and then we'll turn to an honest cleanly Alehouse that I know right well, rest our selves, and dress it for our dinner.

_via_. Oh, Sir, a _Chub_ is the worst fish that swims, I hoped for a _Trout_ for my dinner.

_Pis_. Trust me, Sir, there is not a likely place for a _Trout_ hereabout, and we staid so long to take our leave of your Huntsmen this morning, that the Sun is got so high, and shines so clear, that I will not undertake the catching of a _Trout_ till evening; and though a _Chub_ be by you and many others reckoned the worst of all fish, yet you shall see I'll make it good fish by dressing it.

_Viat_. Why, how will you dress him?

_Pisc_. I'll tell you when I have caught him: look you here, Sir, do you see? (but you must stand very close) there lye upon the top of the water twenty _Chubs_: I'll catch only one, and that shall be the biggest of them all: and that I will do so, I'll hold you twenty to one.

_Viat_. I marry, Sir, now you talk like an Artist, and I'll say, you are one, when I shall see you perform what you say you can do; but I yet doubt it.

_Pisc_. And that you shall see me do presently; look, the biggest of these _Chubs_ has had some bruise upon his tail, and that looks like a white spot; that very _Chub_ I mean to catch; sit you but down in the shade, and stay but a little while, and I'll warrant you I'll bring him to you.

_viat_. I'll sit down and hope well, because you seem to be so confident.

_Pisc_. Look you Sir, there he is, that very _Chub_ that I shewed you, with the white spot on his tail; and I'll be as certain to make him a good dish of meat, as I was to catch him. I'll now lead you to an honest Alehouse, where we shall find a cleanly room, Lavender in the windowes, and twenty Ballads stuck about the wall; there my Hostis (which I may tell you, is both cleanly and conveniently handsome) has drest many a one for me, and shall now dress it after my fashion, and I warrant it good meat.

_viat_. Come Sir, with all my heart, for I begin to be hungry, and long to be at it, and indeed to rest my self too; for though I have walked but four miles this morning, yet I begin to be weary; yester dayes hunting hangs stil upon me.

_Pisc_. Wel Sir, and you shal quickly be at rest, for yonder is the house I mean to bring you to.

Come Hostis, how do you? wil you first give us a cup of your best Ale, and then dress this _Chub_, as you drest my last, when I and my friend were hereabout eight or ten daies ago? but you must do me one courtesie, it must be done instantly.

_Host_. I wil do it, Mr. _Piscator_, and with all the speed I can.

_Pisc_. Now Sir, has not my Hostis made haste? And does not the fish look lovely?

_Viat_. Both, upon my word Sir, and therefore lets say Grace and fall to eating of it.

_Pisc_. Well Sir, how do you like it?

_viat_. Trust me, 'tis as good meat as ever I tasted: now let me thank you for it, drink to you, and beg a courtesie of you; but it must not be deny'd me.

_Pisc_. What is it, I pray Sir? You are so modest, that me thinks I may promise to grant it before it is asked.

_viat_. Why Sir, it is that from henceforth you wil allow me to call you Master, and that really I may be your Scholer, for you are such a companion, and have so quickly caught, and so excellently cook'd this fish, as makes me ambitious to be your scholer.

_Pisc_. Give me your hand: from this time forward I wil be your Master, and teach you as much of this Art as I am able; and will, as you desire me, tel you somewhat of the nature of some of the fish which we are to Angle for; and I am sure I shal tel you more then every Angler yet knows.

And first I will tel you how you shall catch such a _Chub_ as this was; & then how to cook him as this was: I could not have begun to teach you to catch any fish more easily then this fish is caught; but then it must be this particular way, and this you must do: