The School of Recreation Part 2

_Of Badger-Hunting._

This Creature has several Names, as _Gray_, _Brock_, _Boreson_, or _Bauson_; and is hunted thus. First go seek the Earths and Burrows where he lieth, and in a clear Moon-s.h.i.+ne Night, stop all the Holes but one or two, and in these fasten Sacks with drawing strings; and being thus set, cast off your _Hounds_ and beat all the Groves, Hedges, and Tuffs within a mile or two about, and being alarum'd by the Doggs they will repair to their Burrows and Kennells, and running into the Bags are taken. Other Methods there are which are used, but the Common usage makes me omit.

_Of the Martern or wild-Cat._

These two Chaces are usually hunted in _England_, and are as great Infesters of Warrens, as the two last mentioned Vermine, but are not purposely to be sought after; unless the Huntsman see their place of Prey, and can go to it; and if the _Hound_ chance to cross them, sport may be had. But no Rule can be prescribed how to find or hunt them.

_Of the Otter._

This Creature useth to lye near Rivers in his Lodging, which he cunningly & artificially builds with Boughs, Twiggs and Sticks. A great Devourer of Fish, and eatable in some Countries, where they have _good stomacks_. It is a very sagacious and exquisitely smelling Creature, and much Cunning and Craft is required to hunt him. But to take him, observe this in short: Being provided with _Otter-Spears_ to watch his Vents, and good _Otter-Hounds_, beat both sides of the Rivers banks, and you'll soon find if there is any. If you find him, and perceive where he swims under Water, get to stand before him when he _Vents_, (_i. e._ takes breath) and endeavour to strike him with the spear: If you miss him, follow him with your Hound, and if they are good for _Otter_, they will certainly beat every Tree-root, _Bulrush-Bed_, or _Osier-Bed_, so that he cannot escape you.

_Of the Wild Goat._

This being a _Welsh-Chace_, I thought it not amiss to say something of it, as not altogether Forreign. The _Wild-Goat_ is as bigg and as fleshy as a _Hart_, but not so long-legg'd. The best time for hunting them is, at _All-hollontide_; and having observed the Advantages of the Coasts, Rocks, and places where the _Goats_ lie, set Nets and Toiles towards the Rivers and Bottoms; for 'tis not to be imagined, the Doggs can follow them down every place of the Mountaines. Stand some on the tops of the Rocks, and as Occasion offers throw down Stones; and place your Relays at the small Brooks or Waters, where the _Goat_ comes down; but let them not tarry till the _Hounds_ come in, that were cast off.

_Thus much for Hunting._

Of Racing.

As all _Beasts_ are Subservient to _Man_, and he a Liberty and Power to Use them, and make them his Instruments, for the Procurement of his _Profit_, or _Pleasure_; so is there not a Creature more Serviceable to man in either of these, as the _Horse_. A _Beast_ Valiant, Strong, Nimble and Hardy, the Vivacity of whose Spirits, neither Heat can scorch, or dry up, nor Cold benumb or freez; he is Valiant, Watchfull, and Laborious, naturally Cleanly, and of exquisite Scent; Gentle and Loving to man, docile, and of a retentive Memory, and Apt or Fit for the performing any Service wherein man employes him. And for the Use of which I am now speaking (_Racing_) he ought to be endued with these Qualifications. That he have the _Finest Cleanest Shape_ possible, and above all, _Nimble_, _Quick_, and _Fiery_, _apt to Fly with the least Motion_; nor is a long Bodied contemptible, it a.s.suring _Speed_, tho it signifies _Weakness_ too. The _Arabian_, _Barbary_, or his b.a.s.t.a.r.d, are esteemed the best for this Use, these excelling _Jennets_, though they are good too.

Having furnished your self with a _Horse_ thus qualified, you are to observe his right and due _Ordering_, before your designed _Racing_.

_Bartholomew-tide_ is the most proper time to _take him from Gra.s.s_; the day before being Dry, Fair, and Pleasant: That Night let him stand conveniently, to empty his Body; the next day _Stable_ him, and feed him with _Wheat-straw_ that day, and no longer; lest you exceeding that time, it straighten his _Guts_, heat his _Liver_, and hurt his _Blood_; for want of _Straw_, Riding him Morning and Evening to _Water_, Airing, or other moderate Exercises will serve. Then feed him with good old sweet _Hay_, and according to the Season, and Temperature of his Body clothe him; for a _Smooth Coat_ shews _Cloth_ enough, and a _Rough Coat_ want of it. Observe likewise where you _Water_ your _Race-Horse_, that it be a Running _Water_, or Clear _Spring_, far distant (a Mile or more) from the _Stable_, adjoyning to some _Levell_; where after he has once well drunk, Gallop him, and so _Water_ and _Scope_ him, till that he refuse to drink more, for that time; then Walk him gently Home, (being an Hour on your way, or more) clothe, and stop him round with soft _Whisps_, and let him stand an Hour upon his _Bridle_, and after feed him with sweet sound _Oats_, throughly dryed either with _Age_, _Kilne_, or _Sun_; if he be low of Flesh, or bad Stomacht, add a third part of Clean Old _Beans_, to two parts of _Oats_, or wash his _Oats_ in Strong _Beer_ or _Ale_.

For _Dressing_ take these _Rules_. _Dress_ your _Horse_ twice a day, before you _Water_ him, both Morning, and Evening, thus: _Curry_ him after he is uncloath'd, from his _Ear-tips_ to his _Tayle_, and his whole Body intirely (save his Legs under the Knees, and Cambrels) with an _Iron Comb_; then Dust him, and Rub him with a _Brush_ of _Bristles_ over again. Dust him again, and wetting your hand in clean Water, rub off all the loose Hairs, and so rub him dry as at first; then with a fine _Hair Cloth_ rub him all over; and Lastly, with a fine _Linnen Cloth_; and then pick his _Eyes_, _Nostrils_, _Sheath_, _Cods_, _Tuel_, and _Feet_, clean.

The best _Food_ for your _Racer_, is good, sweet, well dryed, sunned, and beaten _Oats_: Or else _Bread_ made of one part _Beans_, and two parts _Wheat_ (_i. e._) two _Bush.e.l.ls_ of _Wheat_, to one of _Beans_, ground together: Boult through a fine _Range_ half a _Bush.e.l.l_ of fine _Meal_, and bake that in two or three _Loaves_ by it self, and with _Water_, and good store of _Barme_, knead up, and bake the rest in great _Loaves_, having sifted it through a _Meal-sieve_: [But to your _Finer_, you would do well to put the _Whites_ of Twenty or Thirty _Eggs_, and with the _Barme_ a little _Ale_, 'tis no matter how little _Water_:]

With the _Courser_ feed him on his Resting dayes, on his Labouring dayes with the _Finer_.

The best _Time for feeding_ your _Runner_ on his _Resting-dayes_ is; After his _Watering_ in the Morning, at _One_ a Clock at Noon, after his _VVatering_ in the Evening, and at _Nine_ or _Ten_ a Clock at Nights: On his _Dayes of Labour_, Two Hours after he is throughly Cold, outwardly and inwardly, as before.

As for the Proportion of Meat, I shall not confine your Love to a Quant.i.ty, only give him a little at once, as long as his Appet.i.te is Good: When he begins to fumble and play with his Meat, hold your Hand, shut up your Sack.

As for his _Exercise_ it ought to be Thrice a Week, as his bodily Condition requires; if he be foul, moderate Exercise will break his Grease; if clean, then as you judge best, taking heed of breaking his Mettle, or discouraging him, or laming his Limbs. Before you air him to add to his Wind, it is requisite to give him a raw Egg broken in his mouth: If your Horse be very _Fat_, air him before Sun-rising and after Sun-set; if _Lean_, deprive him not of the least strength and Comfort of the _Sun_ you can devise. To make him _Sweat_ sometimes by coursing him in his Cloathes is necessary, if moderate; but without his Cloaths, let it be sharp and swift. See that he be _empty before you Course him_; and it is wholesome to wash his Tongue and Nostrills with _Vinegar_, or _p.i.s.s_ in his Mouth, before you back him. And after his Exercise, cool him before you come home, house, litter and rub him well and dry; then cloath him, and give him after every Course a Scouring thus prepared.

_For scouring a Race Horse._

Take 20 _Raisins of the Sun_ stoned, 10. _Figgs_ slit in the midst, boyle them till they be thick in a Pottle of Fair Water, mix it with Powder of _Annis-Seeds_, _Lycoras_, and _Sugar-candy_, till it come to a stiff Paste, make them into round b.a.l.l.s, roul them in b.u.t.ter, and give him three or four of them the next morning after his Course, and ride him an hour after, and then set him up Warm. Or this may be preferred, being both a Purge and a Restorative, a Cleanser and a Comforter, thus prepared.

Take three Ounces of _Annis-Seeds_, six Drams of _c.u.mmin-Seeds_, one Dram and half of _Carthamus_, one Ounce and two Drams of _Fennugreek-Seed_, one Ounce and half of _Brimstone_; Beat all these to a fine Powder, and sea.r.s.e them; then take a Pint and two Ounces of _Sallet Oyl_, a pint and half of _Honey_, and a Pottle of _White-wine_; then with a sufficient Quant.i.ty of fine white Meal, knead and work all well into a stiff Paste; keep it in a clean Cloath, for use. When occasion requires, dissolve a Ball of it in a Pail of Water, and after Exercise give it him to drink in the Dark, that he may not see the Colour, and refuse it: If he does refuse, let Fasting force him to be of another mind.

To conclude, those Instructions, which are enumerated by Mr. _Markham_, I will give you in short before you run, and then away as fast as you can.

_Course not your Horse hard four or five dayes before your Match, lest you make his Limbs sore, and abate his Speed._

_Muzzle him not (except a foul Feeder) above two or three Nights before the Race, and the Night before his b.l.o.o.d.y Courses._

_Give him sharp, as well as gentle, Courses on the Race he is to run._

_Shoe him a day before you run him._

_Let him be empty on the Match Day._

_Saddle him in the Stable, and fix to him the Girths and Pannel with Shoo-makers Wax._

_Lead him with all Gentleness to his Course, and let him smell other Horses Dung to provoke him to stale_, &c.

And Lastly, Being come to the starting place rub him well, uncloath him, then take his Back, and the Word given, with all Gentleness and Quietness possible, start and away; _And G.o.d speed you well_.

Of Hawking,

I shall not insist on any large _Encomiums_ of this Recreation, only that it is a most _Princely and serious Pleasure_; nor shall I amuse you with subtle and nice _Distinctions_, and things no way material; But will inform you with what is meerly necessary for the right _Understanding and Use_ of this n.o.ble Art. I shall begin then with _Hawks_, their _Names_ and _Flights_.

_Of Hawks there are two sorts._

The Long-Winged Hawks.

_Faulcon_ and _Tiercle-gentle_.

_Gerfaulcon_ and _Jerkin_.

_Saker_ and _Sakaret_.

_Lanner_ and _Lanneret_.

_Barbary Faulcon._ _Merlin_ and _Jack_.

_Hobby_ and _Jack_.

The Short-Winged Hawks.

_Eagle_ and _Iron_.

_Goshawk_ and _Tiercel_.

_Sparrow-Hawk_ and _Musket_.

There are others too of inferiour sort as,

_Ring-Tail._ _Raven_ and _Buzzard_.

_Forked Kite._ _Hen-driver_, &c.

And as the _Age_ of these _Hawks_ is, so we name them, as