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He tells us in his Prologue, in which he dedicates his "litel symplebook" to Henry, eldest[Pg xii]son of his cousin Henry IV., "Kyng of Jngelond and of Fraunce," thathe is the Master of Game at the latter's court.
The Complete Gamedog Book 112
Let it at once be said that the greater part of the book before us isnot the original work of Edward of York, but a careful and almostliteral translation from what is indisputably the most famous huntingbook of all times, i.e. Count Gaston de Foix's Livre de Chasse,or, as author and book are often called, Gaston Phœbus, so namedbecause the author, who was a kinsman of the Plantagenets, and whoreigned over two principalities in southern France and northern Spain,was renowned for his manly beauty and golden hair. It is he of whomFroissart has to tell us so much that is quaint and interesting in hisinimitable chronicle. La Chasse, as Gaston de Foix tells us in hispreface, was commenced on May 1, 1387, and as he came to his end on abear hunt not much more than four years later, it is very likely thathis youthful Plantagenet kinsman, our author, often met him during hisprolonged residence in Aquitaine, of which, later on, he became theGovernor.
The text, of which a modern rendering is here given, is taken from thebest of the existing nineteen MSS. of the "Master of Game," viz. theCottonian MS. Vespasian B. XII., in the British Museum, dating fromabout 1420. The quaint English of Chaucer's day, with its archaiccontractions, puzzling orthography, and long, obsolete technical termsin this MS. are not always as easy to read as those who only wish toget a general insight into the contents of the "Master of Game" mightwish. It was a difficult question to decide to what extent this textshould be modernised. If translated completely into twentieth centuryEnglish a great part of the charm and interest of the original[Pg xiv]would be lost. For this reason many of the old terms of venery and theconstruction of sentences have been retained where possible, so thatthe general reader will be able to appreciate the "feeling" of the oldwork without being unduly puzzled. In a few cases where, through theomission of words, the sense was left undetermined, it has been madeclear after carefully consulting other English MSS. and the Frenchparent work.
The editors have added a short Appendix, elucidating[Pg xv]ancient hunting customs and terms of the chase. Ancient terms ofvenery often baffle every attempt of the student who is not intimatelyacquainted with the French and German literature of hunting. On oneoccasion I appealed in vain to Professor Max Müller and to thelearned Editor of the Oxford Dictionary. "I regret to say that I knownothing about these words," wrote Dr. Murray; "terms of the chase areamong the most difficult of words, and their investigation demands agreat deal of philological and antiquarian research." There is littledoubt that but for this difficulty the "Master of Game" would long agohave emerged from its seclusion of almost five hundred years. It ishoped that our notes will assist the reader to enjoy this hithertoneglected classic of English sport. Singularly enough, as one isalmost ashamed to have to acknowledge, foreign students, particularlyGermans, have paid far more attention to the "Master of Game" thanEnglish students have, and there are few manuscripts of any importanceabout which English writers have made so many mistakes. This is allthe more curious considering the precise information to the contraryso easily accessible on the shelves of the British Museum. All Englishwriters with a single exception (Thomas Wright) who have dealt withour book have attributed it persistently to a wrong man and a wrongperiod.[Pg xvi]This has been going on for more than a century; for it was thelearned, but by no means always accurate, Joseph Strutt who firstthrust upon the world, in his often quoted "Sports and Pastimes of theEnglish People," certain misleading blunders concerning our work andits author. Blaine, coming next, adding thereto, was followed littlemore than a decade later by "Cecil," author of an equally much quotedbook, "Records of the Chase." In it, when speaking of the "Master ofGame," he says that he has "no doubt that it is the production ofEdmund de Langley," thus ascribing it to the father instead of to theson. Following "Cecil's" untrustworthy lead, Jesse, Lord Wilton, VeroShaw, Dalziel, Wynn, the author of the chapter on old hunting in theBadminton Library volume on Hunting, and many other writers copiedblindly these mistakes.
Neither of the two authors now under considerationcomes in this undesirable class. Bothwere mighty men with their hands, terrible in[Pg xxiv]battle, of imposing presence and turbulent spirit.Both were the patrons of art and letters, and bothwere cultivated in the learning of the day. Foreach of them the chase stood as a hardy andvigorous pastime of the kind which makes apeople great. The one was Count Gaston deFoix, author of the most famous of mediævalhunting-books, a mighty lord and mighty hunter,as well as statesman and warrior. The other wasEdward, second Duke of York, who at Agincourt"died victorious." He translated into Englisha large portion of Gaston de Foix's La Chasse,adding to it five original chapters. He called hisbook "The Master of Game."
Gaston's book is better known as GastonPhœbus, the nickname of the author which Froissarthas handed down. He treats not onlyof the animals of France, but of the ibex, thechamois, and the reindeer, which he hunted inforeign lands. "The Master of Game" is theoldest book on hunting in the English language.The original chapters are particularly interestingbecause of the light they throw upon Englishhunting customs in the time of the Plantagenets.The book has never hitherto been published.Nineteen ancient manuscript copies are known;of the three best extant two are on the shelves ofthe Bloomsbury treasure house, the other in theBodleian Library. Like others of the famous old[Pg xxv]authors on venery, both the Count of Foix andthe Duke of York show an astonishing familiaritywith the habits, nature, and chase of their quarry.Both men, like others of their kind among theircontemporaries, made of the chase not only anabsorbing sport but almost the sole occupation oftheir leisure hours. They passed their days inthe forest and were masters of woodcraft. Gameabounded, and not only the chase but the killingof the quarry was a matter of intense excitementand an exacting test of personal prowess, for theboar, or the bear, or hart at bay was slain at closequarters with the spear or long knife.
I your own in every humble wise have me venturedto make this little simple book which I recommendand submit to your noble and wise correction, whichbook if it pleaseth your aforesaid Lordship shall benamed and called MASTER OF GAME. Andfor this cause: for the matter that this book treatethof what in every season of the year is most durable,and to my thinking to every gentle heart most disportfulof all games, that is to say hunting. Forthough it be that hawking with gentle hounds andhawks for the heron and the river be noble and commendable,[Pg 2]it lasteth seldom at the most more thanhalf a year. For though men find from May untoLammas (August 1st) game enough to hawk at, noone will find hawks to hawk with.1But as of hunting there is no season of all the year,that game may not be found in every good country, also houndsready to chase it. And since this book shall be allof hunting, which is so noble a game, and lastingthrough all the year of divers beasts that growaccording to the season for the gladdening ofman, I think I may well call it MASTER OFGAME.
And though it be so my dear Lord, that manycould better have meddled with this matter and alsomore ably than I, yet there be two things that haveprincipally emboldened and caused me to take thiswork in hand. The first is trust of your noble correction,to which as before is said, I submit thislittle and simple book. The second is that though Ibe unworthy, I am Master of this Game with thatnoble prince your Father our all dear sovereign andliege Lord aforesaid. And as I would not that hishunters nor yours that now be or that should comehereafter did not know the perfection of this art, Ishall leave for these this simple memorial, for asChaucer saith in his prologue of "The 252 GoodWomen": "By writing have men mind of things[Pg 3]passed, for writing is the key of all good remembrance."
And first I will begin by describing the natureof the hare,3 secondly of the nature of the hart,thirdly of the buck and of his nature, fourthly ofthe roe and of his nature, fifthly of the wild boarand of his nature, sixthly of the wolf and of hisnature, seventhly of the fox and of his nature,eighthly of the badger and of his nature, ninthlyof the cat and of his nature, tenthly of the martenand his nature, eleventhly of the otter and of hisnature. Now have I rehearsed how I will in thislittle book describe the nature of these aforesaidbeasts of venery and of chace, and therefore willI name the hounds the which I will describe hereafter,both of their nature and conditions. Andfirst I will begin with raches (runninghounds)4and their nature, and then greyhounds and theirnature, and then alaunts and their nature, andthen spaniels and their nature, and then mastiffsthat men call curs and their nature, and then of[Pg 4]small curs that come to be terriers and theirnature, and then I shall devise and tell the sicknessesof hounds and their diseases. And furthermoreI will describe what qualities and mannersa good hunter should have, and of what parts heshould be, and after that I will describe themanner and shape of the kennel, and how itshould be environed and arrayed. Also I willdescribe of what fashion a hunter's horn shouldbe driven, and how the couplings should be madefor the raches and of what length. FurthermoreI will prove by sundry reasons in this little prologue,that the life of no man that useth gentlegame and disport be less displeasable unto Godthan the life of a perfect and skilful hunter,or from which more good cometh. The firstreason is that hunting causeth a man to eschewthe seven deadly sins. Secondly men are betterwhen riding, more just and more understanding,and more alert and more at ease and more undertaking,and better knowing of all countries and allpassages; in short and long all good customs andmanners cometh thereof, and the health of manand of his soul. For he that fleeth the sevendeadly sins as we believe, he shall be saved, thereforea good hunter shall be saved, and in thisworld have joy enough and of gladness and ofsolace, so that he keep himself from two things.One is that he leave not the knowledge nor the[Pg 5]service of God, from whom all good cometh, forhis hunting. The second that he lose not theservice of his master for his hunting, nor his ownduties which might profit him most. Now shallI prove how a hunter may not fall into any ofthe seven deadly sins. When a man is idle andreckless without work, and be not occupied indoing some thing, he abides in his bed or in hischamber, a thing which draweth men to imaginationsof fleshly lust and pleasure. For such menhave no wish but always to abide in one place, andthink in pride, or in avarice, or in wrath, or insloth, or in gluttony, or in lechery, or in envy.For the imagination of men rather turns to evilthan to good, for the three enemies which mankindhath, are the devil, the world and the flesh,and this is proved enough. 2ff7e9595c
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