The Auauncers. the Forchers

¶ Yit wolde I wit and thow woldest me leere

The crokes and the Roundellis of the Nomblys of y^e dere

Oon croke of the Nomblis lyth euermoore

vnder the throote bolle of the beest be foore

That callid is .auauncers. who so can hem kene

And the hyndermost parte of the Nomblis thene

That is to say the Forchers that liggyn euer betwene

The .ij. theys of the beest that oder crokis euene

In the Mydref that callid is the rondeƚƚ also

For the sides rownde a bowte coruen it is fro

My deere sonnys bolde: say of game I thus yow tolde

¶ Yit wolde I witt maister whi theys houndes aƚƚ

Bayen and cryen when thay hym ceche shaƚƚ

For thay wolde haue helpe that is thayr skyƚƚ

For to slee the beest that thay renne tyƚƚ

¶ Teƚƚ me mayster quod the man what is the skyll

Why the haare woolde so faynne renne ayenest the hiƚƚ

Quod the mayster for her leggys be shorter be foore

Then be hynde: that is the skyƚƚ of yoore

¶ What is the cause quod the man y^t men say of y^t beest

That the haare sittith aye when she takyth heir reest

And oder beestys ly: as communeli men sayne

For .ij. causes quod the mayster I teƚƚ the playne

Oon is for she hurcles vppon hir houghis ay

And aƚƚ other beestys: can the side to the grownde lay

An oder cause ther is and that is noo lees

For she beerith booth sewet and pure greece

¶ yit wolde I mayster quod the man fayne witt more

Where lyth the suet of the haare be hynde or befoore

Ouer the loyne quod the mayster of iche haare thow take

By twix the tayle and the chyne euen oon the backe

¶ yit wolde I mayster quod the man thees at the leer

What thow walkest in the felde with thy lymeer

Ther as an hert pasturred hath: or y^t thow hym se

To knawe faatt or lene whether that he be

I can quod the mayster weeƚƚ teƚƚ the thys caas

Whaite wele where he lay: and where he fumeyed haas

Yolow and englaymede iff that it be

Then is he fatt I the teƚƚ lerne theys of me

And iff it be booth blacke and harde and clene

Then he is meegre larbre and leene

And of thys ilke thyng iff thow leue not me

Take heede in the wyntre and then thow may it se

¶ Yit mayster of the haare fayn wolde I wit moore

What he dooth when he gooth the howndys befoore

He sorth and resorth ther he gooth a way

Pryckyth and repryckyth the sooth for to say

Bot wat is that quod the man when thay so doone

That shaƚƚ I quod the mayster teƚƚ the fuƚƚ soone

In the feeldes wheer he gooth no ways beene

Ther he sorth when he steppyth and hit may not be seene

And after when he dowblith and turnyth agaynne

Then he resoorth as goode hunteres saynne

And when he rennyth in the way dry or weete

Then men may fynde fostalx of clees or of feete

That pryckyth the haare aye when he dooth soo

And repryckyth then iff he agaynne goo

¶ Maister yit quod the man what is this to say

A vauntellay a lay. and a Relay.

That shaƚƚ I teƚƚ the quod he: for a littiƚƚ byȝete

When the howndys ar set: an hert for to mete

And other hym chasen and folowyn to take

Then aƚƚ the Relais thow may vppon hem make

Even at his comyng yf thow lett thy howndys goo

While the oder that be behynde fer arn hym froo

That is .a vauntelay. and so thow shaƚƚ hit caƚƚ

For thay are than fer before thoos oder howndes aƚƚ

And an hynderyng grete aƚƚ oder vntiƚƚ

For thay may not that day nomore sewe at wiƚƚ

And holde thyn houndes styƚƚ iff that thow so do

Tiƚƚ aƚƚ the houndes that be behynd be cum therto

Than let thyn houndes aƚƚ to geder goo

That called is an allay. and looke thow say so

And that hynderyng is yit to them that be behynde

For the restede wiƚƚ ouergo the weere by kynde

A relay is after when the houndes ar past

Fer be fore with the hert that hiet hem fast

To let thyn houndes fer after hem goon

And that is then a fortheryng to hem echoon

For and thyn houndes haue ouertake thees oder bi destres

Then shaƚƚ they aƚƚ folue hym of oon sweftnes