Romeo and Juliet.
Again, in Drayton’s Polyolbion—
No sooner doth the earth her flow’ry bosom brave, At such time as the year brings on the pleasant spring, But hunts-up to the morn the feather’d sylvans sing.
Why is a small hunting horn called a bugle?
Because of its origin from bugill, which means a buffalo, or perhaps any horned cattle. In the Scottish dialect it was bogle, or bowgill. Buffe, bugle, and buffalo, are all given by Barrett, as synonimous for the wild ox.—Nares’ Glossary.
Why is the stirrup so called?
Because of its origin from stigh-rope, from stigan ascendere, to mount; and thus termed by our Saxon ancestors, from a rope being used for mounting when stirrups began to be used in this island. It is evident, from various monuments of antiquity, that, at first, horsemen rode without either saddles or stirrups.
Why are sportsmen said to hunt counter?
Because they hunt the wrong way, and trace the scent backwards. Thus, in an old-work, Gentleman’s Recreations: “When the hounds or beagles hunt it by the heel, we say they hunt counter.” To hunt by the heel must be to go towards the heel instead of the toe of the game—i.e. backwards.—Nares.