From comparing the various places where the word parfait is employed in connection with hunting, it may be concluded that to hunt the "Parfet" was when the hounds were on the line of the right stag, to sound the "Parfet" was to blow the notes that indicated the hounds were hunting the right line. Dryden in his notes to Twici suggests that the chase of the parfet was "in opposition to the chase of the Forloyng," that is, when the pack run well together "jostling in close array" (Twici, p. 43). But Perfect in the O. F. works seems to us to invariably be used, as already said, to indicate that the hounds have not taken the change, but are staunch to the right scent. Jacques de Brézé says the stag he is hunting joins two great stags, but although some of the hounds ran silent for awhile, they still continued staunch to their line, and here he uses the word "parfait" (Sen. de Nor., p. 13).
Modus also uses it in this sense: Les chiens qui viennent chaçant après le parfait (fol. xix. v). And what is most conclusive is the sense given to it in our text: "Should blow to him again the parfyt so that he were in his rightes and ellys nought," i.e. the parfyt should only be blown if the hound was on the right line (p. 174).
the name given in the "Master of Game" to the last relay of hounds uncoupled during the chase of the stag. First came the "vaunt chase," and then the "midel," and then the "parfytieres." They may have been so called from being the last hounds to be uncoupled, being those that completed or perfected the pack—i.e. perfecters, or this relay may have derived its name from being composed of some of the staunchest hounds from the kennel, those not likely to follow any but the right line or the parfyt. It was customary in the old days to keep some of the slower and staunchest hounds in the last relay, and to cast them only when a stag nearing its end rused and foiled, and sought by every means to shake off his persecutors (see Appendix: Relays). G. de F. gives the names of the three relays simply as La première bataille, la seconde, and la tierce (p. 175).
spotted, from O. F. pomelé, spotted like an apple. The young of the roedeer are born with a reddish brown coat with white spots, which the "Master of Game" calls pomeled. This term was also frequently used in Ang.-N., O. F., and in the dog-Latin of our ancient records to describe a flea-bitten or dappled horse. "His hakenei that was all pomeli gris" (Strat.). "Pommeli liardus, gris pommele, Uno equo liardo pomele" (Obs. Ward. Acc. 28, Ed. I.). G. de F. does not use this word in describing the young of the roe-deer, but says they are born "eschaquettes" (p. 40).
ratches or racches, a dog that hunts by scent. A.-S. raecc, a hound, and O. F. and Ang.-N. brache, brachet, bracon, braquet; Ger. bracken. Ang.-Lat., brachetus, bracketus.
Raches were scenting hounds hunting in a pack, later called "running hounds," and then simply hounds. Although raches or brachets are frequently mentioned in the O. F. and Ang.-N. metrical romances, and in various early documents, we have never found any description of them, but can only gather what they were from the uses they were put to. We find that the bracco was used by the early German tribes to track criminals, therefore they were scenting hounds. There is plenty of evidence that they were used for stag, wild boar, and buck hunting during the Middle Ages. They were coupled together and led by a berner or bracennier or braconnier. Braconnier now means poacher, but this is only the later meaning; originally braconnier was the leader of the bracos, or huntsman (Daurel, p. 337; Bangert, p. 173; Dol. 9188).
We gather that these brachets of the early Middle Ages were small hounds, sometimes entirely white, but generally white with black markings. Sometimes they were mottled (bracet mautré). One description of a braces corant says this hound was as white as a nut, with black ears, a black mark on the right flank, and flecked with black (Blancadin, 1271; Perc. 17,555, 22,585; Tristan M., 1475, 2261; Tyolet, 332).
In the early days in England we find that braches were used to hunt up such smaller game as was not unharboured or dislodged by the limer. Twici says: "Sire, touz ceaus qe sunt enchaces, sunt meuz de lymer. E tous ceaus enquillez sunt trovez de brachez" (see Appendix: Acquillez), i.e. All beasts that are enchased are moved by a limer, and all those that are hunted up are found by braches (Twici, pp. 2, 12). Raches are mentioned in the "Boke of St. Albans" among the "Dyvers manere of houndes," and the apprentice to venery is told he should speak of "A mute of houndes, a kenell of rachys." He is also informed that the hart, the buck, and the boar should be started by a limer, and that all "other bestes that huntyd shall be sought for and found by Ratches so free." John Hardyng in his Chronicle, speaking of an inroad into Scotland by Edward IV., in whose reign he was yet living, said, "And take Kennetes and Ratches with you and seeke oute all the forest with houndes and hornes as Kynge Edwarde with the long shanks dide." In the "Squyer of Low degree" we read that the huntsman came with his bugles "and seven score raches at his rechase."
the word the most approaching this to be found in any dictionary is under the head of receiver, M. E. receyvour, one who, or that which receives. The reseeyuours were most likely those greyhounds who received the game, i.e. pulled it down after it had been chased. We see in our text that teasers and reseeyuours are mentioned together (p. 198). The former were light, swift greyhounds; these were probably slipped first; and the latter (Shirley MS. spells resteynours) were the heavy greyhounds slipped last, and capable of pulling down a big stag. De Noirmont tells us: Ces derniers étaient surnommés receveours ou receveurs (ii. p. 426, and G. de F., p. 177).
In the early days of venery the whole pack was not allowed to hunt at the commencement of the chase. After the stag had been started from his lair by a limer, some hounds were uncoupled and laid on, the rest being divided off into relays, which were posted in charge of one or more berners along the probable line of the stag, and were uncoupled when the hunted stag and the hounds already chasing him had passed. There were usually three relays, and two to four couples the usual number in each relay, though the number of couples depended, of course, on the size of the hunting establishment and the number of hounds in the kennel. G. de F. calls these relays simply, première, seconde, and tierce. The "Master of Game" calls the first lot of hounds uncoupled the "finders" (p. 165), though this seems rather a misnomer, as the harbourer with his limer (see Limer) found and started the deer. The vauntchase for the first relay, and the midel speak for themselves, but we have little clue to the origin of parfitieres for the third relay. Were they so called because they perfected or completed the chase, or because they were some of the staunchest hounds who could be depended upon to follow the parfit, i.e. the right line of the stag or animal hunted? (see Appendix: Parfet). Old authorities seem to have differed in opinion as to whether the staunchest and slowest hounds should have been put in the first cry or in the last (Roy Modus, fol. xvi.; G. de F., p. 178; Lav., Chasse à Courre, pp. 297-8).