The greater sort which serue to hunt, hauing lippes of a large syze, & eares of no small lenght, doo, not onely chase the beast whiles it liueth, (as the other doo of whom mencion aboue is made) but beyng dead also by any maner of casualtie, make recourse to the place where it lyeth, hauing in this poynt an assured and infallible guyde, namely, the sent and sauour of the bloud sprinckled heere and there vpon the ground. For whether the beast beyng wounded, doth notwithstanding enioye life, and escapeth the handes of the huntesman, or whether the said beast beyng slayne is conuayed clenly out of the parcke (so that there be some signification of bloud shed) these Dogges with no lesse facilitie and easinesse, then auiditie and greedinesse can disclose and bewray the same by smelling, applying to their pursute, agilitie and nimblenesse, without tediousnesse, for which consideration, of a singuler specialtie they deserued to bee called Sanguinarij bloudhounds. And albeit peraduenture it may chaunce, (As whether it chaunceth sealdome or sometime I am ignorant) that a peece of fleshe be subtily stolne and cunningly conuayed away with such prouisos and precaueats as thereby all apparaunce of bloud is eyther preuented, excluded, or concealed, yet these kinde of dogges by a certaine direction of an inwarde assured notyce and priuy marcke, pursue the deede dooers, through long lanes, crooked reaches, and weary wayes, without wandring awry out of the limites of the land whereon these desperate purloyners prepared their speedy passage. Yea, the natures of these Dogges is such, and so effectuall is their foresight, that they cã bewray, seperate, and pycke them out from among an infinite multitude and an innumerable company, creepe they neuer so farre into the thickest thronge, they will finde him out notwithstandying he lye hidden in wylde woods, in close and ouergrowen groues, and lurcke in hollow holes apte to harbour such vngracious guestes. Moreouer, although they should passe ouer the water, thinking thereby to auoyde the pursute of the houndes, yet will not these Dogges giue ouer their attempt, but presuming to swym through the streame, perseuer in their pursute, and when they be arriued and gotten the further bancke, they hunt vp and downe, to and fro runne they, from place to place shift they, vntill they haue attained to that plot of grounde where they passed ouer. And this is their practise, if perdie they cãnot at ye first time smelling, finde out the way which the deede dooers tooke to escape. So at length get they that by arte, cunning, and diligent indeuour, which by fortune and lucke they cannot otherwyse ouercome. In so much as it seemeth worthely and wisely written by Ælianus in his sixte Booke, and xxxix. Chapter. Τὸ ἐνθυμητικον καὶ διαλεκτικὸν. to bee as it were naturally instilled and powred into these kinde of Dogges. For they wyll not pause or breath from their pursute vntill such tyme as they bee apprehended and taken which committed the facte. The owners of such houndes vse to keepe them in close and darke channells in the day time, and let them lose at liberty in the night season, to th’intent that they myght with more courage and boldnesse practise to follow the fellon in the euening and solitarie houres of darkenesse, when such yll disposed varlots are principally purposed to play theyr impudent pageants, & imprudent pranckes. These houndes (vpon whom this present portion of our treatise runneth) when they are to follow such fellowes as we haue before rehersed, vse not that liberty to raunge at wil, which they have otherwise when they are in game, (except upon necessary occasion, wheron dependeth an urgent and effectuall perswasion) when such purloyners make speedy way in flight, but beyng restrained and drawne backe from running at randon with the leasse, the ende whereof the owner holding in his hand is led, guyded, and directed with such swiftnesse and slownesse (whether he go on foote, or whether he ryde on horsebacke) as he himselfe in hart would wishe for the more easie apprehension of these venturous varlots. In the borders of England & Scotland, (the often and accustomed stealing of cattell so procuring) these kinde of Dogges are very much vsed and they are taught and trayned up first of all to hunt cattell as well of the smaller as of the greater grouth, and afterwardes (that qualitie relinquished and lefte) they are learned to pursue such pestilent persons as plant theyr pleasure in such practises of purloyning as we have already declared. Of this kinde there is none that taketh the water naturally, except it please you so to suppose of them whych follow the Otter, whych sometimes haunte the lande, and sometime vseth the water. And yet neuerthelesse all the kind of them boyling and broyling with greedy desire of the pray which by swymming passeth through ryuer and flood, plung amyds the water, and passe the streame with their pawes. But this propertie proceedeth from an earnest desire wherwith they be inflamed, rather then from any inclination issuyng from the ordinance and appoyntment of nature. And albeit some of this sort in English be called Brache, in Scottishe Rache, the cause hereof resteth in the shee sex and not in the generall kinde. For we English men call bytches, belonging to the hunting kinde of Dogges, by the tearme aboue mencioned. To bee short it is proper to the nature of houndes, some to keepe silence in hunting untill such tyme as there is game offered. Othersome so soone as they smell out the place where the beast lurcketh, to bewray it immediatly by their importunate barcking, notwithstanding it be farre of many furlongs cowchyng close in his cabbyn. And these Dogges the younger they be, the more wantonly barcke they, and the more liberally, yet, oftimes without necessitie, so that in them, by reason of theyr young yeares and want of practise, small certaintie is to be reposed. For continuance of tyme, and experience in game, ministreth to these houndes not onely cunning in running, but also (as in the rest) an assured foresight what is to bee done, principally, being acquainted with their masters watchwordes, eyther in reuoking or imboldening them to serue the game.
Of the Dogge called the Gasehounde, in Latine Agaseus.
This kinde of Dogge which pursueth by the eye, preuayleth little, or neuer a whit, by any benefite of the nose that is by smelling, but excelleth in perspicuitie and sharpenesse of sight altogether, by the vertue whereof, being singuler and notable, it hunteth the Foxe and the Hare. Thys Dogge will choose and seperate any beast from among a great flocke or hearde, and such a one will it take by election as is not lancke, leane and hollow, but well spred, smoothe, full, fatte, and round, it followes by the direction of the eyesight, which in deede is cleere, constant, and not uncertaine, if a beast be wounded and gone astray this Dogge seeketh after it by the stedfastnes of the eye, if it chaunce peraduenture to returne & bee mingled with the residue of the flocke, this Dogge spyeth it out by the vertue of his eye, leauing the rest of the cattell vntouched, and after he hath set sure sight upõ it he seperateth it from among the company and hauing so done neuer ceaseth untill he haue wearyed the Beast to death. Our countrey men call this dogge Agasæum. A gasehounde because the beames of his sight are so stedfastly setled and vnmoueably fastened. These Dogges are much and vsually occupyed in the Northern partes of England more then in the Southern parts, & in fealdy landes rather then in bushy and wooddy places, horsemen vse them more then footemen to th’intent that they might prouoke their horses to a swift galloppe (wherwith they are more delighted then with the pray it selfe) and that they myght accustome theyr horse to leape ouer hedges & ditches, without stoppe or stumble, without harme or hassard, without doubt or daunger, and so escape with safegard of lyfe. And to the ende that the ryders themselues when necessitie so constrained, and the feare of further mischiefe inforced, myght saue themselues vndamnifyed, and preuent each perilous tempest by preparing speedy flight, or else by swift pursute made vpon theyr enimyes, myght both ouertake them, encounter with them, and make a slaughter of them accordingly. But if it fortune so at any time that this Dogge take a wrong way, the master making some vsuall signe and familiar token, he returneth forthwith, and taketh the right and ready trace, beginning his chase a fresh, & with a cleare voyce, and a swift foote followeth the game with as much courage and nimblenesse as he did at the first.
Of the Dogge called the Grehounde, in Latine Leporarius.
There is another kinde of Dogge which for his incredible swiftnesse is called Leporarius a Grehounde, because the principall seruice of them dependeth and consisteth in starting and hunting the hare, which Dogges likewyse are indued with no lesse strength then lightnes in maintenance of the game, in seruing the chase, in taking the Bucke, the Harte, the Dowe, the Foxe, and other beastes of semblable kinde ordained for the game of hunting. But more or lesse, each one according to the measure and proportion of theyr desire, and as might and habilitie of theyr bodyes will permit and suffer. For it is a spare and bare kinde of Dogge, (of fleshe but not of bone) some are of a greater sorte, and some of a lesser, some are smooth skynned, & some are curled, the bigger therefore are appoynted to hunt the bigger beasts, & the smaller serue to hunt the smaller accordingly. The nature of these dogges I finde to be wonderful by ye testimoniall of histories. For, as Iohn Froisart the Historyographer in his 4. lib. reporteth. A Grehound of King Richard, the second yt wore the Crowne, and bare the Scepter of the Realme of England, neuer knowing any man, beside the kings person, whẽ Henry Duke of Lancaster came to the castle of Flinte to take King Richarde. The Dogge forsaking his former Lord & master came to Duke Henry, fawned upon him with such resemblaunces of goodwyll and conceaued affection, as he fauoured King Richarde before: he followed the Duke, and vtterly left the King. So that by these manifest circumstances a man myght iudge this Dogge to haue bene lightened wyth the lampe of foreknowledge & vnderstãding, touchyng his olde masters miseryes to come, and vnhappinesse nye at hand, which King Richarde himselfe euidently perceaued, accounting this deede of his Dogge a Prophecy of his ouerthrowe.
Of the Dogge called the Leuiner, or Lyemmer in Latine Lorarius.
Another sort of dogges be there, in smelling singuler, and in swiftnesse incomparable. This is (as it were) a myddle kinde betwixt the Harier and the Grehounde, as well for his kinde, as for the frame of his body. And it is called in latine Leuinarius, a Leuitate, of lyghtnesse, and therefore may well be called a lyghthounde, it is also called by this worde Lorarius, a Loro, wherwith it is led. This Dogge for the excellency of his conditions, namely smelling and swift running, doth followe the game with more eagernes, and taketh the pray with a iolly quicknes.
Of the Dogge called a Tumbler, in Latine Vertagus.
This sorte of Dogges, which compasseth all by craftes, fraudes, subtelties and deceiptes, we Englishe men call Tumblers, because in hunting they turne and tumble, winding their bodyes about in circle wise, and then fearcely and violently venturing upõ the beast, doth soddenly gripe it, at the very entrance and mouth of their receptacles, or closets before they can recouer meanes, to saue and succour themselues. This dogge vseth another craft and subteltie, namely, when he runneth into a warren, or setteth a course about a connyburrough, he huntes not after them, he frayes them not by barcking, he makes no countenance or shadow of hatred against them, but dissembling friendship, and pretending fauour, passeth by with silence and quietnesse, marking and noting their holes diligently, wherin (I warrant you) he will not be ouershot nor deceaued. When he commeth to the place where Connyes be, of a certaintie, he cowcheth downe close with his belly to the groũd, Prouided alwayes by his skill and polisie, that ye winde bee neuer with him but against him in such an enterprise. And that the Connyes spie him not where he lurcketh. By which meanes he obtaineth the sent and sauour of the Connyes, carryed towardes him with the wind & the ayre, either going to their holes, or cõming out, eyther passing this way, or running that way, and so prouideth by his circumspection, that the selly simple Conny is debarred quite from his hole (which is the hauen of their hope and the harbour of their health) and fraudulently circumuented and taken, before they can get the aduantage of their hole. Thus hauing caught his pray he carryeth it speedily to his Master, wayting his Dogges returne in some conuenient lurcking corner. These Dogges are somewhat lesser than the houndes, and they be lancker & leaner, beside that they be somwhat prick eared. A man that shall marke the forme and fashion of their bodyes, may well call them mungrell Grehoundes if they were somwhat bigger. But notwithstanding they counteruaile not the Grehound in greatnes, yet will he take in one dayes space as many Connyes as shall arise to as bigge a burthen, and as heauy a loade as a horse can carry, for deceipt and guile is the instrument wherby he maketh this spoyle, which pernicious properties supply the places of more commendable qualities.