Part 51

This method of coursing was practised in England in the days of Edmund De Langley (A. D. 1380). From the instructions which he gives relative to it, it appears that the greyhounds were placed, as amongst the Celts, on the outside of the covert. So also in the beautiful poetry of Scott:

And foresters in greenwood trim Lead in the leash the gazehounds grim, Attentive as the brachet’s bay From the dark covert drove the prey To slip them as he drove away. The startled quarry bounds amain, As fast the gallant greyhounds strain.

“Nos autem vidimus,” says Blondus, “venantes in capiendis leporibus hunc modum servare insidiandi. Divisi ac sparsi venatores per inculta frequentiùs quàm per culta, arte quâdam incedunt laqueis canem leporarium detinentes: spineta et sentes, sive dumeta, saltusve potiùs celebrantes quàm nemora. Nonnunquam etiam præmittunt odorum canem qui è latebris pellat timidum leporem, post quem è laqueis mittunt canem fugacem, altis clamoribus persequentes, qui sunt exhortationes fugacium canum.”

“In montosis locis (agri Bononiensis) ob rubetorum frequentiam, canibus sagacibus ad lepores excitandos utuntur, deinde visis leporibus canes leporarios solvunt,” &c.

The classic poet of Barga, although we look in vain for a description of the hare-course throughout his varied and copious Cynegeticon, has left us the following counterpart in the machinery of the fox-chase with swift-footed hounds:

Intereà juvenes quà sunt asperrima campi Dumeta, et spinis clivus consurgit acutis, Obsedêre vias, alii quà mane tepenti Flamine in adversos auras fert Eurus odoras, Veloces tenuere canes: turbamque sagacem Immisêre, premant patulis, quæ naribus hostem Obscenam, et dumis sese occultare parantem, Conantemque animam tristi subducere letho. Quam postquam certo latratu ursere propinquam, Solvuntur canibus curracia vincla Lacænis:

and this is again followed by other chases, wherein the wolf and stag are the greyhound’s quarry.

See also L’Ecole de la Chasse, (Rouen, 1788,) “Manière de prendre les loups avec les lévriers.”

Ὅπως ἄν τοι προχωρῇ. “Quâcunque ratione fieri potest,” Ind. Græc. Z. “When she is going off,” Blane.

Καὶ εἰσὶν αἱ κύνες αὗται, ὅ τι περ αἱ ἄρκυς Ξενοφῶντι ἐκείνῳ. From some curious Dialogues composed by Elfric, Duke of Mercia, in Latin, Mr. Turner has shown that our ancestors resembled their continental neighbours in these field sports.

“I am a hunter to one of the kings.—How do you exercise your art? I spread my nets, and set them in a fit place, and instruct my hounds to pursue the wild deer till they come to the nets unexpectedly, and so are entangled, and I slay them in the nets.—Cannot you hunt without nets? Yes, with swift hounds I follow the wild deer.—What wild deer do you chiefly take? Harts, boars, and rein-deer, and goats, and sometimes hares,” &c.

Ὑπὸ τῆς κλαγγῆς τῶν κυνῶν, &c. Κυνῶν ἐφόβησεν ὁμοκλή: for a practical exemplification of a course conducted upon the principle of uniting speed and sagacity in the same pack, see Mr. Hobhouse’s description of his sport with his host at Votizza. To “four wire-haired Lacouni” were added “three mongrel pointers, and several curs ... with a large party of men on foot and horseback, making as much noise as possible.” It is scarce necessary to state the poor hare was killed “after a short run.”

This method of coursing (if it deserve the name) was much in use in France two centuries or more ago. “They use their greyhounds,” says Turberville, “only to set backsets, or receytes for deare, wolfe, fox, or such-like. Whereas we here in England do make great account of such pastime as is to be seen in coursing with greyhounds at deare, hare, foxe, or such-like, even of themselves, when there are neyther hounds hunting, nor other meane to help them.”

Edmund De Langley, in his =Mayster of Game=, condemns the union of sagacious and fleet hounds, “spaynels and greihoundes,” in the same field; for “the spaynel wil make al the ryot and al the harme.” The latter’s mode of hunting is beautifully described by Darcius of Venusium:

Hi si forte levis toto lepus errat in arvo, Pone legent rostro vestigia nota sagaci: Et modò transverso, modò recto jugera sulco Scrutantur, &c.

Τὰ μὲν οὖν λίαν νεογνὰ οἱ φιλοκυνηγέται ἀφιᾶσι τῇ Θεῷ. But the same mercy was not extended to fawns: see Xenoph. de Venat. c. +ix.+ 1.

Τῇ Θεῷ. Diana ἀγροτέρα, or Venatrix.

——πότνια θηρῶν Ἄρτεμις ἀγροτέρη.

ἡ κατ’ ὄρη σκιόεντα καὶ ἄκριας ἠνεμόεσσας ἀγρῇ τερπομένη παγχρύσεα τόξα τιταίνει.

So, in the Anacreontic Λιτανεία,

γουνοῦμαι σ’ ἐλαφηβόλε, Ξανθὴ, παὶ Διὸς, ἀγρίων δέσποιν’, Ἄρτεμι, θηρῶν.

By Pollux the worshipful goddess is variously called ἀγροτέρα, καὶ κυνηγέτις, καὶ φιλόθηρος, καὶ ὀρεία. For the popular belief respecting her many vocations, see Callimach. H. in Dian. How graphically is she decked out, in all her sylvan trim, by Nemesian, in the following address to her, to aid, with her many sporting associates, the essay of his Cynegetical Muse!

Tu modo quæ saltus placidos silvasque pererras Latonæ, Phœbe, magnum decus, eja age suetos Sume habitus, arcumque manu: pictamque pharetram Suspende ex humeris: sint aurea tela, sagittæ: Candida puniceis aptentur crura cothurnis: Sit chlamys aurato multum sub tegmine lusa, Corrugesque sinus gemmatis baltheus arctet Nexibus: implicibus cohibe diademate crines. Tecum Naiades faciles, viridique juventâ Pubentes Dryades, Nymphæque, unde amnibus humor, Adsint, et docilis decantet Oreadas Echo. Duc age, Diva, tuum frondosa per avia vatem. Te sequimur: tu pande domos et lustra ferarum.

See Lucian’s Deorum Dialogi, Venus et Cupido, for the pursuits of Diana; and for several elegant representations of her in her sporting attire, see Montfaucon, Tom. +i.+ perrier, tab. 64. goltzii numismata græciæ, &c. tab. +vii.+ f. 1. Insular Medals, Tab. +xvii.+ f. 1. morell. tab. +xv.+ passerii tom. +iii.+ Tab. 88. &c. A few of the most classic gems and medals have been faithfully copied in outline by Mr. Haghe from the antique, and annexed to this work; they are taken from Montfaucon, who had previously borrowed them from La Chausse and Beger.

The translation of Mr. Blane does not extend beyond this Chapter.

Xenophon De Venat. c. +ix.+ recommends Indian dogs for deer-hunting, as they are strong, large, swift-footed, and resolute.

In the ancient field sports of Britain we find the deer, the wolf, and the fox, and even sometimes the wild cat, (of which last the =Mayster of Game= c. +x.+ reports, “he hath the Devyllis spyryt,”) coursed with greyhounds: but at present these diversions are discontinued, and the hare alone deemed worthy of the honourable distinction of competing in speed with the Celtic hound:

And where that ye come in playne or in place, I shall you tell whyche ben bestys of enchace: One of theym is the bucke: a nother is the doo: The foxe and the marteron: and the wylde roo.