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pastimes do no less Than mind and body both possess： My hand alone my
work can do； So I can fish and study too。
I care not； I； to fish in seas； Fresh rivers best my mind do please；
Whose sweet calm course I contemplate； And seek in life to imitate： In
civil bounds I fain would keep； And for my past offences weep。
And when the timorous Trout I wait To take； and he devours my bait；
How poor a thing； sometimes I find； Will captivate a greedy mind： And
when none bite； I praise the wise Whom vain allurements ne'er surprise。
But yet； though while I fish； I fast； I make good fortune my repast；
And 〃hereunto my friend invite； In whom I more than that delight： Who is
more welcome to my dish Than to my angle was my fish。
As well content no prize to take； As use of taken prize to make： For so
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our Lord was pleased； when He fishers made fishers of men； Where；
which is in no other game； A man may fish and praise his name。
The first men that our Saviour dear Did choose to wait upon him here；
Blest fishers were； and fish the last Food was that he on earth did taste： I
therefore strive to follow those Whom he to follow him hath chose。
W。 B。
Coridon。 Well sung； brother； you have paid your debt in good coin。 We
anglers are all beholden to the good man that made this song： come；
hostess； give us more ale； and let's drink to him。 And now let's every one
go to bed； that we may rise early： but first let's pay our reckoning； for I
will have nothing to hinder me in the morning； for my purpose is to
prevent the sun…rising。
Peter。 A match。 Come； Coridon； you are to be my bed…fellow。 I know；
brother； you and your scholar will lie together。 But where shall we meet
to…morrow night？ for my friend Coridon and I will go up the water
towards Ware。
Piscator。 And my scholar and I will go down towards Waltham。
Coridon。 Then let's meet here； for here are fresh sheets that smell of
lavender； and I am sure we cannot expect better meat； or better usage in
any place。
Peter。 'Tis a match。 Good…night to everybody。
Piscator。 And so say I。
Venator。 And so say I。
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The fourth day
Piscator。 Good…morrow； good hostess； I see my brother Peter is still in
bed。 Come； give my scholar and me a morning drink； and a bit of meat to
breakfast： and be sure to get a dish of meat or two against supper； for we
shall come home as hungry as hawks。 Come； scholar； let's be going。
Venator。 Well now； good master； as we walk towards the river； give me
direction； according to your promise； how I shall fish for a Trout。
Piscator。 My honest scholar； I will take this very convenient
opportunity to do it。
The Trout is usually caught with a worm； or a minnow； which some
call a peek； or with a fly； viz。 either a natural or an artificial fly：
concerning which three； I will give you some observations and directions。
And； first； for worms。 Of these there be very many sorts： some breed
only in the earth； as the earth…worm； others of； or amongst plants； as the
dug…worm； and others breed either out of excrements； or in the bodies of
living creatures； as in the horns of sheep or deer； or some of dead flesh； as
the maggot or gentle； and others。
Now these be most of them particularly good for particular fishes。 But
for the Trout； the dew…worm； which some also call the lob…worm； and the
brandling； are the chief； and especially the first for a great Trout； and the
latter for a less。 There be also of lob…worms； some called squirrel…tails； a
worm that has a red head； a streak down the back； and a broad tail； which
are noted to be the best； because they are the toughest and most lively； and
live longest in the water； for you are to know that a dead worm is but a
dead bait； and like to catch nothing； compared to a lively； quick； stirring
worm。 And for a brandling； he is usually found in an old dunghill； or some
very rotten place near to it； but most usually in cow…dung； or hog's…dung；
rather than horse…dung； which is somewhat too hot and dry for that worm。
But the best of them are to be found in the bark of the tanners； which they
cast up in heaps after they have used it about their leather。
There are also divers other kinds of worms； which； for colour and
shape； alter even as the ground out of which they are got； as the marsh…
worm； the tag…tail； the flag…worm； the dock…worm； the oak…worm； the gilt…
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tail； the twachel or lob…worm； which of all others is the most excellent bait
for a salmon； and too many to name； even as many sorts as some think
there be of several herbs or shrubs； or of several kinds of birds in the air：
of which I shall say no more； but tell you； that what worms soever you fish
with； are the better for being well scoured； that is； long kept before they be
used： and in case you have not been so provident； then the way to cleanse
and scour them quickly； is； to put them all night in water； if they be lob…
worms； and then put them into your bag with fennel。 But you must not put
your brandlings above an hour in water； and then put them into fennel； for
sudden use： but if you have time； and purpose to keep them long； then they
be best preserved in an earthen pot； with good store of moss； which is to
be fresh every three or four days in summer； and every week or eight days
in winter； or； at least； the moss taken from them； and clean washed； and
wrung betwixt your hands till it be dry； and then put it to them again。 And
when your worms； especially the brandling； begins to be sick and lose of
his bigness； then you may recover him； by putting a little milk or cream；
about a spoonful in a day； into them； by drops on the moss； and if there be
added to the cream an egg beaten and boiled in it； then it will both fatten
and preserve them long。 And note； that when the knot； which is near to the
middle of the brandling； begins to swell； then he is sick； and； if he be not
well looked to； is near dying。 And for moss； you are to note； that there be
divers kinds of it； which I could name to you； but I will only tell you that
that which is likest a buck's…horn is the best； except it be soft white moss；
which grows on some heaths； and is hard to be found。 And note； that in a
very dr