The experienced angler : or, Angling improved : imparting many of the aptest ways and choicest experiments for the taking most sorts of fish in pond or river

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EXPERIENCED ANGLER

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ANGLING IMPROVED.

J. Johnson, Printer. Brook Street, Holborn. London.

EXPERIENCED ANGLER;

OR

IMPARTING MANY
OF THE

APTEST WAYS AND CHOICEST EXPERIMENTS

FOR THE

TAKING MOST SORTS OF FISH

IN

POND OR RIVER.

BY COL. ROBERT VENABLES.

" I have read and practised by many books of tliis kind, formerly
made public; from which, although I received much advantage, yet
without prejudice to their worthy Authors, I could never find in them
that height of judgment and reason, manifested in this, as I may call
it. Epitome of Angling." Tsaac Walton,

LONDON:

SEPTIMUS PROWETT, OLD BOND STREET,

AND

THOMAS GOSDEN, BEDFORD STREET,

COVENT GARDEN.

1825.

TO HIS INGENIOUS FRIEND THE AL'THOJl,
ON HIS

ANGLING IMPROVED.

Honoured Sir,

Though I never, to mi/ knowledge, had the happines.s
to see ^our/ace, yet accidentally coming- to a view of this
discourse before it went to the press; I held myself
obliged in point of gratitude for the great advantage I
received thereby, to tender you my particular acknowledg-
ment, especially having been for thirty years past, not
only a lover but a practiser of that innocent recreation,
wherein by your judicious precepts I find myself fitted
for a higher form; ivhwh expression I take the boldness
to use, because I have read and practised by many books
of this kind, formerly made public; from which, although
I received much advantage in the practice, yet, ivithout
prejudice to their worthy Authors, I could never find in
them that height of judgment and reason, which you
have manifested in this, as I may call it, epitome of An-
gling ; since my reading ivhereofi cannot look upon some
notes of my own gathering , but methinks I do puerilia
tractare. But lest I should be thought to go about to
magnify my own judgment, in giving yours so small a
portion of its due, I humbly take leave tvith no more am-
bition than to kiss your hand, and to be accounted

Your Humble and

Thankful Servant,

ISAAC WALTON.

MEMOIR

OF

COL. ROBERT VENABLES.

Of the author. Colonel Robert Venables, but little is
known, and that little not very satisfactory. Araon^
the Manuscripts in the Harleian Collection, are several
Pedigrees of the Families of Venables : particularly in
that marked M393, f. 39,' where the great ancestor of
Venables is stated to have been Gabriel Venables, who
came over with William the Conqueror, and aftenvards
received the Earldom of Kinderton, in Cheshire, from
Hugh Lupus. Another Manuscript, No. 2059, recites
a deed from one of the family, residing at Northwich,
as early as anno 1260.

But reverting more immediately to the subject
of this notice, the Harleian Manuscript ' 1993, f. 52J
contains a paper, partly in the hand writing of Colonel
Venables, which furnishes a detailed account of the
time he served in the Parliament Army in Cheshire,
and of the pay due to him from 1643 to 1646. From
this authority it appears, that in 1644 he was made
Governor of Chester; and from other sources we learn,
that in 1645, he was Governor of Tarvin. In 1649, he
was Commander in Chief of the Forces in Ulster, in
Ireland, and had the towns of Lisuegarvy, Antrim, and

b

11 MEMOIR OF COLONEL

Belfast delivered to him. His actions in the sister
kingdom, are recited in an excessively rare book, en-
titled *A History, or Briefe Chronicle of the Chief
Matters of the Irish Warres,' printed at London, in
1650, 4to.

From this period no trace of him is discoverable,
and it is probable that he was unemployed, until Crom-
well, at the instig-ation of Cardinal INIazarine, fitted out
a fleet for the conquest of Hispaniola, in 1654, when
Colonel Venables, and Admiral Penn, were invested
with the command of that armament. It appears how-
ever, to have been undertaken in an evil hour, and a
contemporary manuscript in the Editor's possession, and
which has not been printed till now, furnishes the most
valuable information respecting- the disasters which
they underwent. The manuscript is evidently ad-
dressed to some one, and it commences : —

Sir,

The opinion I was of, in that

discourse we had at , touching the Western

Voyage of the English in 1654. I have been since
abundantly confirmed in, by the perusal of some
Papers and Memoirs of a Person of no mean character
throughout that action, whose employment gave him
opportunity to know all, at least the most consider-
able of its transactions, and I have reason to be-
lieve, by the account I have had of him, he was
sufficiently able to take his measures of them aright.
The substance of what I gathered from his notes, and

ROBERT VENABLES. Ill

from orders of the Councils of War, as well of the
Commissioners, and from declarations of the Army,
and letters from persons who held posts in that Army,
all which I had the favom* to inspect, I will here faith-
fully present you with. For indeed I am very desirous
to beget in you the same sentiments of that affair,
which I have, I tlunk, with good reason entertained.
And the rather, because the course you design to steer
will give you opportunity of converse with those per-
sons, who are most inquisitive after, as most concerned
to know, matters of this nature; and yet, perhaps,
mider greater mistakes in this particular, than any
others.

It was doubtless, none of the least ends which that
fox, Oliver, had in that design ; to rid himself of some
persons whom he could neither securely employ, nor
safely discard : which end seemed chiefly to influence
the managery of the whole business, as you will per-
ceive by the story.

It was pretended at first it should be carried on
with great secrecy; but the delay was so great, and
thereby the notice of it so public, as alarmed the Spa-
niards to provide for their reception. Venables moved
to have had soldiers for this service drawn out of the
Irish Army, which he had been well acquainted with ;
but it was peremptorily denied, and they were ap-
pointed to be drawn out of the army in England, Avhose
officers generally gave out of their several companies
the rawest and worst armed they had. And these being
hastily shipped off at Portsmouth, the chief of the land

IV MEMOIR OF COLONEL

officers, who were to go with them, were never suffered
to rendezvous, or see together till they came to Barba-
does, where they arrived January 29, 1654-5. Here they
found them to want 500 of the number promised, being
but 2500 men in all, and not above half of those well
armed. And though they had been assured they should
find 1500 arms at Barltadoes, yet they could not there
make up 200 anns ; and all the help they had was to
make half-pikes, wherein, and in fixing those arms they
had, they met with some difficulty, their smith's tools
being on board their store ships, which were not yet
come to them. For those ships took in their provisions
at London, and they were promised should meet them
at Portsmouth, and there they were told that they
should reach them at Barbadoes ; which yet they did
not, nor till at least six months after. So that much of
the provision, which was defective at first taking in,
was by that time grown very corrupt.

While they staid at Barbadoes it was plainly dis-
covered that not only the inhabitants there were against
the general design, but that the seamen bandied against
the land-men, and gave them not that assistance and
furtherance which was in their power. Notwithstand-
ing the land-soldiers great want of arms, Penn and the
sea-officers would not be prevailed with to furnish them
with any, nor so much as to lend them a pike or a
lance; though he had above 1200 of the former to
spare, and great numbers of the latter were put aboard
on purpose for the army to kill cows with. At their
leaving that place, the seamen had their full alloM-

ROBERT VENABLE5, V

ance of victuals and brandy on their fisli-days ; when
the land-men liad for four days in the week, but half
their proportions, the other three fish-days, only bread
and water.

In this condition they left Barbadoes, INIarch the
last, 1655. By the way they touched at St. Christo-
pher's, whence they took aboard a regiment of soldiers,
who had been raised in that island; among- whom they
were pleased to find two Englishmen, Cox and Bounty,
who had then lately come from Hispaniola, where the
former had lived twelve years, and served as a gunner
in the castle of St. Doming'o.

Now when they were far out at sea, a dormant
commission, not before discovered, was broken up,
whereby two others, Winslow and Butler, were joined
in commission, and equally empowered, with the two
generals Venables and Pennj and nothing was to l)e
done without their joint advice and orders: yea, when
on shore, Venables^ (though he had by his own com-
mission a command of all the land-forces in chief,) yet
he was by this commission restrained from acting any
thing without the concurrence of the commissioners,
or such one, or more, of them as was present with him.
A great debate now arose between these Commissioners
about dividing the lion's skin, before he was caught,
which occasioned much heat among* them, and gave
great dissatisfaction to the soldiers. There was a clause
in this joint commission, that all prizes and booties got
by sea or land should be at the disposal of the commis-
sioners, for the advance of the present service and de-

VI MEMOIR OF COLONEL

sign. This the greater part of the Commissioners
judged was to be extended to all sorts of pillage. Ve-
nables thought it was meet to interpret it^only of ships
and their laduig, and large quantities of treasure and
goods in towns and forts : and that to extend it to all
booty, by whomsoever got, would be both impossible
to put in execution, and hugely disgustful to the sol-
dier to attempt. When he could not prevail to have
his sense of this hard clause pass, he propounded a
middle way: that none should conceal or retain any
arms, money, plate, jewels, or goods, to his private
use, on pain of forfeiting his share in the whole, &c.
but that all should be brought in unto officers, chosen
by mutual consent, and sworn to be faithful therein ;
and then distribution to be made to each man accord-
ing to his quality and desert. And agreeably thereto,
he framed both an order for the Commissioners to sign,
and a declaration for the officers of the army to sub-
scribe, testifying their submission to the order, and
that they would endeavour that all under their re-
spective commands should observe it; and further,
that when their several pays should be discharged, they
would acquiesce in the disposal of the surplus by the
Commissioners, either in rewards to the deserving, or
in necessaries for the public service, &c. This the
Commissioners so far approved as to appoint it to be
writ fair, and copies made, for each regiment one. The
officers and soldiers were also content, and satisfied
therewith; but when it came to the point, only A'ena-
bles and Pcnn signed the order, and so the declaration

ROBERT VENABLES. Vll

fell too. "N^Tiich surely was a great oversight in the
Commissioners who refused, for by this means they
would have soothed and pleased the army with a fair
flourish, but in reality had by common consent ob-
tained the whole to l)e at their own disposal.

Then the Commissioners propounding a fort-
night's pay to the soldiery instead of the pillage of St,
Domingo, the chief city of Hispaniola, Venables pre-
vailed with them to be content with six weeks pay.
But when that would not be yielded to by the Commis-
sioners, he re([uested the officers and soldiers, without
standing on any terms, to venture their lives with him,
and trust to Providence for the issue and reward;
which they agreed unto for that time, but withal many
of them declared they would never strike stroke more,
where there should be commissioners thus to controul
the general and soldiers, but would forthwith return
for England.

By this time they drew near to Hispaniola; the
land general and officers were for running the fleet into
the harbour of St. Domingo, but they of the fleet op-
posed it, Penn assured them there was a bomb which
would hinder their advance ; though Cox, being called
in, said he believed there was none, yea, declared among
the soldiers, that he conceived the harbour was incapa-
ble of any thing of that kind. During the debate
about this matter. Captain Crispin, who commanded a
frigate, offered to venture the running in of his vessel
into the harbour, and bore up so near as to fire on the
castle of St. Domingo, and discovered nothing of any

Ylll MEMOIR OF COLONEL

bomb, or other obstruction, as he after declared ; yet
was he commanded off by Penn. Then they of the army
resolved at a council of war, among" other things, that
one regiment staying to land to the east of the city,
which fell by lot to Col. Butler; the rest of the army
should land some miles distant at the river Hine, the
place where Drake landed, and force the fort which stood
at the mouth of it : yet they of the fleet carried the array
westward to Point Nizas, whence they had to march
above thu'ty miles north to the city, through a strange,
woody, and very hot country, where no water could be
found, and many of them had but two days victuals
delivered them from the fleet, none above three. The
mean while Cox, who was designed to ])e guide to the
land forces, had been sent by Penn a fishing, and was
not returned, nor could be heard of at the landing ; in
the want of him, Venables desired to have had Bounty,
or Femes, who also was acquainted with the Island,
but Penn would not part with either of them.

So soon as they were landed, the Commissioners
appointed the publishing of an order against plundering,
and that all pillage should be brought in unto a com-
mon store ; but therein gave Venables liberty to pro-
mise the soldiers, in case the city should be taken by
storm, six weeks pay, or a moiety of the pillage, ex-
cepting arms, ammunition, and such like : or in case it
should be surrendered, three weeks pay, or a third of
the pillage. This was signed by Penn, Winslow, and
Butler.

The soldiers, who were before disgusted, were bv

ROBERT VENABLES.

this exasperated into mutiny. A sea regiment, which
came ashore, was the first that laid down arms ; and by
their example all the rest. And much ado Venables
had in any sort to pacify them ; at last they were per-
suaded to march, though with much discontent : and
in that unsatisfied, mutinying humour, they marched
four days without any guide, tormented with heat,
hunger and thirst, when they might have landed at the
place best fitted for attack, fresh on the first day.

The mean while Col. Duller had, according to
his order, essayed to land eastward of the city ; but find-
ing no place for it, was afterwards appointed by the
Commissioners to land at Hine river, but with express
order not to stir thence till the army came up. Ac-
cordingly he landed on JMonday, April 17, and with
him Col. Houldip, and 500 of his regiment, having Cox
in their company. At their approaching, the Spaniards
abandoned the fort near the river mouth, leaving two
great gmis dismounted, and the walls, as much as their
haste would allow, dismantled. This encouraged Bul-
ler to pursue them towards the city; but in the narro^v
passes of the woods, he missed his way, and came to
some plantations vacant and waterless, purposing there
to expect the army : yet next morning sent out a party
to descry the fort St. Hieronimo, who exposed them-
selves too much to view, and alarmed the Spaniards.

Soon after Duller had marched from the fort
where he landed, the army came to the other side of
the river Hine, but could not pass it, wanting a guide
to shew them the ford, which induced them to march

X MEMOIR OF COLONEL

five miles up the river, seeking one ; and at last, the
day being spent, they were forced to quarter that niylit
without either food or good fresh water. Next day,
after three miles march more, a ford ^vas found, and
the river passed, and they had not gone far, when a
farm with water chancing in their way, gave them great
refreshment. Where making a halt, and consulting
what was meet for them to do, they resolved to go to
the fleet at the harboiu* for provision for their hungry
meuj to which an Irishman, then brought in by some
stratagem, offered to guide them the shortest way.
And though Venables wa?: jealous of him, and would
not have heeded him, yet Commissioner Butler would
have hiin followed, and charged them by virtue of their
instructions so to doj and follow him they did, till a
fruitless march three or four miles the contrary way,
proved him a liar. At last, hearing BuUer's drums,
they made toxvards him, and met with him near the
strong fort, St. Hieronimo, a regular and well fortified
pier, in the road to the city. Venables being at tliis
time in the van, which he had led all their long march,
went himself with the guide, for the officers being all
very weary, were willing to be excused; to search the
woods before the army, and discovered the Spaniards in
ambush, before they stirred j who presently, thereupon
advanchig, the English forlorn immediately fired upon
them too hastily and at too much distance, which gave
the Spaniards advantage to fall in with them with their
lances, before they could charge again, and so gave
them some disorder, and killed some officers ; among

ROBERT VENABLES. XI

whom, to their great loss, Captain Cox perished; but
the English quickly recovcrinj^ themselves, beat the
enemy back, and pursued them within cannon shot of
the city.

These weary spent men, drawn on by tlicir eager-
ness to this skirmish, forgot that thirst, which, so soon
as the pursuit was over, they fainted under; many, both
men and horse, dying- on the place for very thirst.
Venables, being much endangered at this action in the
route of the forlorn, was earnestly entreated and pressed
by the officers not to hazard himself so again, but to
march Avith the body. This over, they called a council of
war, where, considering- their want of match, which was
spent to three or four inches, and of provision, which
all had been without two days, and some longer, and had
no other sustenance but what fruits the woods afforded;
they once again resolved to return to their ships, which
the Irishman's relation, and Commissioner Butler's pe-
remptory charge had diverted them from, and caused
them to lose many men and horses with thirst and hun-
ger in marching back that way, \vhich otherwise had
been saved.

Some four or five days were spent at the harboiu*
in refreshing the tired, fainting soldiery, and taking new
resolutions for a second march and charge. Wherein,
they could not well be more speedy, for Penn and Win-
slow, two of the Commissioners, keeping at sea with the
fleet, (which rode some leagues off from the fort by
Hine river,) and refusing to come ashore, Venables,
though then ill with tlie flux, was forced to make many

Xll MEMOIR OF COLONEL

dangerous passages to and from them in small Brigan-
tines for their concurring counsel, which often differing,
caused much delay, and gave the Spaniards time to ga-
ther heart and strengtli for better defence. Tlie com-
mon soldiers this mean while, were but ill treated from
the fleet. Those that by sickness or wounds in the last
action, were disabled for further service, (they having no
tents or carriages ashore to dispose of them in) were sent
a ship board, and there they were kept forty-eight hours
on the bare decks, without either meat, drink, or dress-
ing j that worms bred in their wounds, which would
soon be in that hot country, and some of them by that
very usage perished, particularly one Captain Levering-
ton, a brave man. The others ashore being furnished
Math the worst, and most raoiddy of the biscuits; no beef,
altogether unwatered, and no brandy to cheer their
spirits ; had their thirst greatly enraged, which that ri-
ver, even where it was fresh, yet coming from copper,
rather augmented than assuaged. And this usage and
diet, together with the extraordinary rains that fell on
their unsheltered bodies, cast them all into violent
fluxes ; sorry encouragements and preparatives for a se-
cond attempt, which yet was at last resolved on.

Tuesday, April 25. Tliey had with them one
mortar-piece, and two drakes, in the drawing whereof,
and carryhig of mattocks, spades, and calabashes of
fresh water, the strongest men were employed till all
were reduced to almost a like weakness; and the cruel
sea-oflicers offered them no more brandy with them, than
would be about a good spoonful to a man. One night

ROBERT VENARLES. XUl

they lodged in the woods ; the next day they advanced
toward the fort of St. Hieronimo, which they resolved
to attack, being- in their way, about a mile from the
town, and not lit to leave at their backs.

April 26. Adjutant General Jackson had this day
the command of the forlorn, consisthig- of four lumdred
men ; in the van whereof, he put Captain Butler, and
himself brought up the rear. Also he marched without
any wings on cither hand to search the woods, and dis-
cover ambushes, which was expressly contrary both to
order, and their daily practice throughout their whole
march from Point Nizas. With the forlorn thus ma-
naged, and all ready to faint with thirst, having marched
eig-ht miles without water, in a narrow pass in the thick
woods, where but six could well march abreast, they
fell into an ambuscado of the Spaniards, who suflfered
the forlorn all to march within them, and then charged
them both in van and flank. Captain Butler with the
van undauntedly received the charge, and in order, fired
again, and all of them stood till he fell ; but the rear ran
away without abiding a charge, Jackson himself being
the first man that turned his back. Venables, his regi-
ment, with Ferguson his Lieutenant Colonel in the head
of them, being next, charged their pikes on Jackson and
his flying men; but they being too well resolved to
be stopt, first routed that regiment, and then most of
Heanes's regiment. These all came violently upon
the sea regiment, which was led by Venables and Good-
son, thenVice- Admiral, who with their swords forced the
runaways into the woods, choosing rather to kill, than

XIV MEMOIR OF COLONEL

be routed by them. At the same time, whicli much ad-
vantaged them, the rear part of Heanes's regiment hav-
ing- opened and drawn themselves on either side into the
woods, counterflanked the Spaniards, and charged their
ambuscadoes, which the Spaniards perceiving", and that
the sea reg-iment advanced unrouted, retreated. The
English then charged them afresh, pursued them, and
beat them back beyond the fort, and so regained the
bodies of the slain, and the place of fight, which ground
they kept the rest of that day, and the night following,
though the guns from the fort all that time, as well as
during the skirmisli, played hotly upon them, and killed
sometimes eight or nine at a shot.

In this action, the valiant Heanes, major general,
and Ferguson before mentioned, and such other officers
of those regiments as knew not what it was to fly, fell
by the swords and lances of the Spaniards ; and many
common soldiers with them.

The English now about the fort, Venables com-
manded to assault it, and that to that end, they should
play the mortar-piece agahist it, and had it drawn up for
that purpose. But he himself being before brought
very low with his flux, the toil of the day had so far
spent him, that he could not stand or go but as supported
by two ; and in that manner he moved from place to
place, to encourage the men to stand, and to plant it.
But the latter he could not prevail on, neither by com-
mands, entreaties, or offers of i ewards. At last, faint-
ing among them, he was carried off', and Fortescue, who
succeeded major general, in the stead of Heanes, took

ROBERT VENABLES. XV

the command, who laboured much also to get the mor-
tar-piece planted, but without any eflfect. For the spirits
of the English soldiers were so sunk, by their want of
water and provisions, the excessive heat, and their great
sickness occasioned thereby, that not any one upon any
account could be got to plant it. Night drawing en,
whilst the soldiers buried the dead, they called a council
of war of all the colonels, and field officers, where it
was agreed, no man dissenting, that the difficulties of
thirst were not to be overcome, and that if they staid
there, thougli they beat the enemy, they must perish for
want of water. Whereupon, it was resolved to retreat
next morn at sun rise, if the mortar-piece could not
play before. The morning came, and no place found
to plant the mortar-piece, nor men that would work, the
guns from the fort beating them off from every place,
they buried their shells, dre^v off their mortar-piece,
drakes, spades, &c. and making a strong rear-guard, re-
treated to their ships at the harbour.

In this attempt against the fort, the common sol-
diers shewed themselves so extremely heartless, that
they only followed their officers to charge, and left them
there to die, unless they were as nimble footed as them-
selves. And of all others, the planters, whom they had
raised in those parts, were the worst, being only forward
to do mischief; men so debauched as not to be kept
under discipline, and so cowardly as not to be made to
fight.

Being come to the harbour, they betook themselves
to the examination and punishment of the cowardice of

XVI MEMOIR OF COLONEL

some, and of divers miscarriages and disorders of others.
Jackson was accused.

1 That contrary to express order, he had marched
without any to search the woods.

2. That he took but few pikes, and those he
placed in the rear, as if he feared only his own party.

3. That he put others in the van, and himself
brought up his rear.

4. That he was the first man tliat run, and when
there was a stop, he opened his way with both hands to
get foremost.

These being proved before a council of war, he
was sentenced to be cashiered : his sword broken over
his head : and he made a swabber to keep the hospital
ship clean, which was executed accordingly. And well
it might, forsure it was much gentlerthan he deserved.*

♦ The Revolution in England, having necessarily raised great
numbers of individuals to the rank of officers, from the lowest sta-
tions, a kind of equality reigned among the soldiery. The following
instance of that equality is a curious fact, and displays equally the
republican manners, and uncivilized spiiit of that age.

Adjutant-General Jackson, who had been the first to run during
the engagement, was tried by a couit-martial, convicted of cowardice,
cashiered with ignominy, and condemned lo serve us a svvabuer on
board the hospital-ship .' ! — General Venables, with a naivete common
to the writers of that age, which, though seldom respectable, is always
pleasing, makes the following observations on this sentence. After
mentioning the terms of it, he adds, "And justly, — for the benefit of
the sick and wounded, who owed their suflFerings to his mis-behaviour.
A sentence too gentle for so notorious an otiender, against whom
some of the Colonels made a complaint for uhoring and drunkenness
at Barbadoes ; but not being able to prove the fact, he escaped;
though considering his former course of life, the presumptions were
strong, he and a woman lodging in one chamber, and not any other
person with either, which wui enough to induce a he lief of his offence,

ROBERT VENABLES. XVll

A Serjeant also, wlio in the skirmish threw clown
his arms, crying*, '* gentlemen, shift for yourselves, we
are all lost ;" and ran away, was hanged. Other offen-
ces met with meet punishments.

Now the business was, to consult what was next
to be done. Commissioner Winslow came ashore to
press for a third attempt, which the officers of the army
would not be persuaded to undertake ; for they all, with
one consent, declared they would not lead on their men,
saying, they would never be got to march up to that
place again ; or if they did, they would not follow them
to a charge, but they freely offered to regiment them-
selves, and to live and die together. Whereupon, the
Commissioners judging it needful to try to raise the
soldiers by some success in a smaller exploit, resolved
to attempt some other plantation, and at last Jamaica
was pitched on to be the place.

During this debate, the soldiers on land were in
great want and streights ; for though all their provision
was spent, yet Penn forbade any supply to be sent them

he, having two wives in England, and standing guilty of forgery; all
which I desired Major-General Worsley in joining with me to ac-
quaint his Highness (Cromwell) with, that he might be taken off, and
not suffered to go with me, lest he should bring a curse on us, as I
feared. But his Highness would not hear ns. — After this, boih per-
jury and forgery were proved against him, in the case of a Colonel or
General, at Barbadoes, ruined by him, by that means. Upon the
complaint, and with the advice of the said General, I rebuked him
privately ; which he took so distastely, that as it afterwards appeared,
he studied and endeavoured nothing but mutiny; and found fit matter
to work upon, as with an army that has neither pay nor pillage, arms
nor ammunition, nor victuala, is net difficult: but this 1 came to un-
derstand afterwards." — Venablf.s' Narrative.

d

XVIU MEMOIR OF COLONEL

from the fleet, that their scarcity, yea, famine, grew so
high, that they ate all the horses, asses, and dogs in the
camp ; yea, some ate such poisonous food, that they fell
dead instantaneously. But beyond all this, a motion
was made, that setting sail for England, the soldiers,
whom they of the fleet usually called dogs, should be
left ashore to the mercy of the enemy ; which motion,
Venables in behalf of the land-men, stiffly opposed, de-
testing so great inhumanity. Yet the soldiers were so
apprehensive of such a trick, that when they came to go
aboard, their officers would not suffer the sea regiment,
which was on shore, to be first shipped, lest they should
be so left in the lurch.

The fifth day after they set sail from Hispaniola,
they came before Jamaica, where remembering the
cowardice of the soldiers, which if not experienced,
would scarce have been believed so great in Englishmen,
they pul)lished an order against runaways, that the next
man to any that offered to run, should kill him, or be
tried for his own life. AVhich done, Penn and Venables
placed themselves in the martin galley, and sailed up
to the fort, and played upon it with their great guns, as
it did upon them all the time that the soldiers were
getting into the flat bottomed boats. Which so soon as
they had done, a fresh gale of wind arose, which drove
the boats directly upon the fort; this the Spaniards
seeing, and a major, their best soldier, being disabled by
a shot from the martin galley, they were so daunted
that they took to their heels, and left the fort to the
English. The army finding fresh water here, and fenr-

ROBERT VENABLES. XIX

ing to advance further, lest (it being then three o'clock)
they should in a stranoe country, and without guides, be
inconveniently overtaken \vith night, in some place
where they might be more exposed to the enemies as-
saults, and beating up their (quarters, tliey resolved to
stay at that fort, and landing place that night, and rest
their weak and sick men. Next morning they marched
early, and about noon, came to a Savanna near the chief
town of the island, St. Jago, where two or three Spa-
niards appeared at a distance, making some signals of
civility. The like number of English was sent to them,
upon which they rode away, but making a stand, one
was sent to them to know what they desired ; they an-
swered, * a treaty.' The English, replied, they would
treat when they saw any impowered thereunto. After
some time, a priest and a major were sent from the
town. The English as an introduction to the treaty,
first demanded to have one hundred cows, with cassavia
bread proportionably, sent them immediately; and so
daily while the treaty lasted. Cows were sent in, but
no bread J that being, as they said, scarce with them.
Whereupon Commissioners were appointed on both sides
to treat, and in conclusion, the Spaniards yielded to ren-
der the island and all in it, and all ships in the havens
unto the English; the Spaniards and inhabitants liaving
their lives granted them, and such as would, to be at li-
berty by a certain day to depart the island, but to take
nothing, save their wearing apparel, and their books,
and writings with them.

XX MEMOIR OF COLONEL

Articles of agreement to this purpose being sign-
ed on both sides, the English for their true performance,
demanded and had the Governor of the island, and the
Spanish Commissioners for hostages j and so they
seemed to be in a fair way of settlement, with little ado.
Yet after this, a colonel among the Spaniards, who had
no good will to the governor, and was a man of inte-
rest among the commonalty, persuaded them to di'ive
all the cattle away to the mountains, and thereby starve
out the English. Which being understood, one of the
Spanish Commissioners, Don Acosta, a Portuguese, sent
his priest, an understanding negro, to dissuade them
from their purpose. But they being resolute, and in-
stigated by the colonel, hanged the negro, which en-
raged Acosta, and to be revenged on them for the death
of his priest, whom he loved, advised the English that
the cattle must necessarily, in a while, come down into
the plains to drink. And by his direction, the English
recovered the cattle, and prevented their mischief.

After this an order was published, that no private
soldier should go out to shoot cows, which was done for
two reasons ; first, because the soldiers straggling about
and going single, were often knocked on the head ; and
next, because they maimed and marred more than they
killed ; for it being a very Avoody country, unless a beast
was shot dead, which was but seldom done, it escaped
its pursuer, though it often died of its womids ; and many
hundreds were found in the woods that had been so slain,
and very many running about hiu-t and wounded. Thus
great destruction was made of them, to no bodies advan-

ROBERT VENABLES^ XXl

tage, that in the end, they must need have smarted for
the want of those which had been thus lavishly spoiled
and lost. Besides, the cattle which at their first com-
ing, were seen by great numbers, and so tame, that they
might have been easily managed and driven up, were so
affrighted by tlie soldiers disorderly chasing and shout-
ing after them, that they were now grown wild and un-
tractable. And therefore, commanded parties with their
officers were thenceforwards ordered out to fetch in cat-
tle as there was need; and by that means they were
sufficiently supplied, and no waste made. But bread
they still much wanted, for their own store ships not
having yet reached them, they had no bread but what
came from the fleet, whence it was very sparingly sent,
and scarce any but what was bad and corrupt. I find it
noted, that in seventeen days time, they had but three
biscuits a man ; that they could seldom get any thing
from the fleet, unless the Commissioner would sign re-
mittances for greater proportions than were indeed de-
livered; that of above a hundred tuns of brandy, which
was put on board in England for this service, and above
thu-ty tuns more taken in at Barbadoes, it could not be
observed, that the landmen ever had ten tuns to their
use, between the middle of April and the middle of
July. So that the soldiers being put to feed wholly on
fresh flesh and fruits, without either brandy, or any kind
of bread ; and that after they had been long at a scanty
diet, upon salt meats, it hugely increased sickness
among them, insomuch, that after their coming to Ja-

IIXX MEMOIR OF COLONEL

raaica, they died by fifty, sixty, and sometimes a hun-
dred in a week, of fevers and fluxes.

Their streights and distresses being so great, put
them on necessity of hastening to distribute the soldiers
to plant for themselves, that they might have somewhat
of their own to subsist on, without depending on the
courtesy of others. And accordingly several of the re-
giment were dispersed into several places ; but though
such was their occasion, each for his particular private
goods and necessaries, yet they could not without much
difficulty, and many fruitless labours, obtain to have
their trunks and stutF ashore to them ; and many never
had them at all, but they were carried back with the
fleet into England.

Some discontents grew among the great ones.
Venables telling Commissioner Butler of his drunken-
ness, which he was often guilty of, and in that condition,
had discovered too much to the Spaniards, and reprov-
ing him for it, made him his enemy, and to practise
against him, and thence forwards he endeavoured to
make factions, and raise disgusts in the army.

Penn gave notice of his intentions, suddenly to set
sail for England, and would not be dissuaded.
***********

Here the manuscript ends, but in contumation,
Oldmixon* observes, that "they arrived in England in
September, when they were both imprisoned for their
scandalous conduct in this expedition, which would

BiUish Unijnit in .-tiiu

ROBERT VENABLES. XXlll

have been an irreparable dishonour to the English Na-
tion, had not the island of Jamaica, which chance more
than council, bestowed upon them, made amends for
the loss at Hispaniola." Their imprisonment would
seem to have received general approbation, as in certain
Passages of Every Dayes Intelligence, from Sept. 21
to 2S, 1655, published by authority, it is said, *'Gov.
Penn and Gen. Venables, would be petitioning his
Highnes, the Lord Protector for their enlargement out
of the Tower again; but it is a little too soon yet; it
were not amiss that they stayed till we hear again from
the West Indies." His subsequent liberation, and the
particulars of his life after this period, with the time
of his decease, and his residence when he quitted the
cares of this world, are alike unknown to the writer,
and have baffled all attempts at discovery.

SoUi In'JiuyiJhrno/t in ^ Dun/b/isOwnVivarct

• L'tJ/uj/ia/t /iulp'^

i THE t

if Experienced Aiii^ler: J*

4* ^ OR ^

IanglingI

% IMPROVED. %

^ f

^ ±

I BEING %

% A general Difcoiirfe of Angling; ^

"^ Imparting' many of the apteft wayes J

"4^ and choiceft Experiments for the ^

^ taking of moft forts of Fifli in ^

^ Pond or River. ^

4f

^

^ LONDON: J

"^ Printed for Bichard Murriot, and are to be sold ^

«|& at his Shop in St. Dunstaiis Church-yard, ^

J^ Fleet'Street. 1662. ^

PREFATORY ADDRESS

TO

THE READER,

FROM

THE EDITION OF

MDCLXII.

PREFATORY ADDRESS.

Delight and Pleasure are so fast rivetted and firmly
rooted in the heart of man, that I suppose there arc
none so morose or melancholy, that will not only pre-
tend to, but plead for an interest in the same, most
being- so much enamoured therewith, that they judge
that life but a livino- death, which is wholly deprived
or abridged of all pleasiu'e j and many pursue the same
with so much eagerness and importunity, as though
they had been born for no other end, as tliiit they not
only consume their most precious time,, but also totally
ruin their estates thereby : for in tliis loose and licen-
tious age, when profuse prodigality passes for the cha-
racteristical mark of true generosity and frugality,
I mean not niggardliness; is branded with the ignomi-
nious blot of baseness. I expect not that this under-
valued subject, though it propound delight a^t an easy
rate, will meet with any other entertainment than
neglect, if not contempt, it being an art which few
take pleasure in, nothing passing for noble or delight-
ful which is not costly; as thougk men could not gra-
tify their senses, but with the consumption of their
>fortunes.

Hmrkitig and Hunting- have had their excellencies
celebrated with large encomiums by divers pens, and
although I intend not any undervaluing to those noble re-

n PREFATORY ADDRESS.

creations, so much famed in all ages and by all degrees,
yet I must needs affirm, that they fall not within the
compass of every ones ability topuisue, being as it were
only entailed on great persons and vast estates ; for if
meaner fortunes seek to enjoy them, Actceon's fable
often proves a true story, and these birds of prey not
seldom quarry upon their masters : besides those re-
creations are most subject to choler and passion, by
how much those creatures exceed a hook or line in
worth : and indeed in those exercises our pleasure de-
pends much upon the will and humour of a sullen cur
or kite, (as I have heard their own passions phrase
them) ; which also require much attendance, care and
skill to keep her serviceable to our ends. Further,
these delights are often prejudicial to the husbandman
in his corn, grass and fences ; but m this pleasant and
harmless Art of Angling a man hath none to quarrel
with but himself, and we are usually so entirely our
own friends, as not to retain an irreconcilable hatred
against ourselves, but can in short time easily compose
the enmity; and besides ourselves none are offended,
none endamaged; and this recreation fallcth within
the capacity of the lowest fortune to compass, afford-
ing also profit as well as pleasure, in following of
which exercise a man may employ his thoughts in the
noblest studies, almost as freely as in his closet.

The minds of anglers being usually more calm
and composed than many others, especially hunters
and falconers, who too frequently lose their delight in
their passion, and too often bring home more of melan-

PREFATORY ADDRESS. Hi

choly and discontent than satisfaction in their thoughts ;
but the angler, when he hath the worst success, loseth
but a hook or line, or perhaps, what he never possessed,
a fish; and suppose he should take nothing, yet he en-
joyeth a delightful walk by pleasant rivers in sweet
pastures, amongst odoriferous flowers, which gratify
his senses and delight his mind ; which contentments
induce many, who affect not angling, to choose those
places of pleasure for their Summer's recreation and
health.

But, peradventure, some may alledge that this art
is mean, melancholy, and insipid; I suppose the old
answer, de gustibus noti est disputandum, will hold as
firmly in recreations as palates, many have supposed
Angling void of delight, having never tried it, yet have
afterwards experimented it so full of content, that they
have quitted all other recreations, at least in its season,
to pursue it ; and I do pursuade myself, that whoso-
ever shall associate himself with some honest expert
angler, who will freely and candidly communicate his
skill unto him, will in short time be convinced, that
Ars non hahet inimicum nisi ignorantem ; and the more
any experiment its harmless delight, not subject to
passion or expence, he will prol)ably be induced to re-
linquish those pleiisures which being obnoxious to
choler or contention so discompose the thoughts, that
nothing during that unsettlement can relish or delight
the mind j to pursue that recreation which composeth
the soul to that calmness and serenity, which gives a
man the fullest possession and fruition of himself and

PREFATORY ADDRESS.

all his enjoyments; this clearness and equanimity of
spirit being- a matter of so high a concern and value in
the judgments of many profound Philosophers, as any
one may see that will bestow the pains to read, de
Tranquilitate Anhniy and Petrarch de Utriusqiie Con-
dit'ionis Statu : Certainly he that lives Sibi et Deo, leads
the most happy life 3 and if this art do not dispose
and incline the mind of man to a quiet calm sedateness,
I am confident it doth not, as many other delights ;
cast blocks and rubs before him to make his way more
difficult and less pleasant. The cheapness of the recrea-
tion abates not its pleasure, but with rational persons
heightens it; and if it be delightful the charge of me-
lancholy falls upon that score, and if example, which
is the best proof, may sway any thing, I know no sort
of men less subject to melancholy than anglers; many
have cast off other recreations and embraced it, but J
never knew any angler wholly cast off, though occasions
might interrupt, their affections to their beloved recrea-
tion ; and if this art may prove a Noble brave rest to
thy mind, it will be satisfaction to his, who is thy well-
wishing Friend,

ANGLING IMPROVED:

PROFIT AND PLEASURE UNITED.

CHAP. I.

WHEN TO PROVIDE TOOLS, AND HOW TO MAKE THEM.

OR tlie attaining- of such ends which
our desires propose to themselves,
of necessity we must make use of
such common mediums as have a
natural tendency to the producing
of such effects as are in our eye,
and at which we aim ; and as in any work, if one prin-
cipal material be wanting, the whole is at a stand,
neither can the same be perfected: so in Angling, the
end being recreation, which consistetli in drawing the
fish to bite, that we may take them ; if you want tools,
though you have baits, or baits, though you have tackle,
yet you have no part of pleasure by either of these
singly: nay, if you have both, yet want skill to use

A

2 ANGLING IMPROVED.

them, all the rest is to little purpose. I shall there-
fore first begin with your tools, and so proceed in order
with the rest.

1. In Autumn, when the leaves are almost or
altogether fallen, which is usually about the Winter
solstice, the sap being then in the root ; which about
the middle of January begins to ascend again, and then
tlie time is past to provide yourself with stocks or tops :
you need not be so exactly curious for your stocks as
the tops, though I wish you to choose the neatest taper-
grown you can for stocks, but let your tops be the
most neat rush-grown shoots yon can get, straight and
smooth; and if for the ground rod, near or full two
yards long, the reason for that length shall be given
presently ; and if for the fly, of what length you please,
because you must either choose them to fit the stock,
or the stock to fit them in a most exact proportion ;
neither do they need to be so very much taper-grown
as those for the ground, for if your rod be not most
exactly proportionable, as well as slender, it will nei-
ther cast well, strike readily, or ply and bend equally,
which will very much endanger your line. When you
have fitted yourself with tops and stocks, for all must
be gathered in one season, if any of them be crooked,
bind them all together, and they vnW keep one another
straight; or lay them on some even-boarded floor, with
a weight on the crooked parts, or else bind them close
to some straight staff or pole; but before you do this
you must bathe them all, save the very top, in a gentle
fire.

ANGLING Ii\IIMlOVED.

For the iiround aiigle, I prefer the cane or reed
before all otlicr, both for its lenoth and lig-htness: and
\vhereas some object against its colour and stiffness, I
answer, both these inconveniences are easily remedied;
the colour by covering- it with thin leather or parch-
ment, and those dyed hito what colour you please; or
you may colour the cane itself, as you see daily done
by those that sell them in London, especially if you
scrape oflfthe shining yellow outside, bur that weakens
the rod. The stiffness of the cane is helped by the
length and strength of the top, which I would wish to
be very much taper-grown, and of the full length I spoke
of before, and so it will kill a very good fish without
ever straining the cane, which will, as you may observe,
yield and bend a little; neither would I advise any to
use a reed that will not receive a top of the fore-men-
tioned length. Such who most commend the hazel-
rod, (which I also value and praise, but for different
reasons), above the cane ; do it because, say they, the
slender rod saveth the line; but my opinion is, that the
equal bending of the rod chiefly, next to the skill of
the Angler, saveth the line, and the slenderness I con-
ceive principally serveth to make the flv-rod long and
light, easy to be managed with one hand, and casteth
the fly far, which are to me the considerations chiefly
to be regarded in a fly-rod ; for if you observe tlie slen-
der part of the rod, if strained, shoots forth in lenoth
as if it were part of the line, so that the whole stress'or
strength of the fish is borne or sustained by the thicker
part of the rod, which is no stronger than the stronger

4 ANGLING IMPROVED.

end of such a top as I did before direct for the gTouiid-
rod, and you may prove what I say to be true, if you
hang- a weight at the top of the fly-rod, which you sliall
see ply and bend, in the stiff and thick part, more or
less as the weight is heavy or light. Having made this
digression for the cane, I return to the making up of
the top, of which at the upper or small end, I would
have you to cut off about two feet, or three quarters of
a yard at most ; and then piece neatly to the thick re-
maining part, a small shoot of black thorn or crab tree,
gathered in due season as before, fitted in a most exact
proportion to the hazel, and then cut otF a small part
of the slender end of the black thorn or crab tree, and
lengthen out the same with a small piece of whalebone,
made round, smooth, and taper ; all which will make
your rod to be veiy long, gentle, and not so apt to
break or stand bent as the hazel, both which are great
inconveniences, especially breaking, which will force
you from your sport to mend your toj).

2. To teach the way or manner how to make a
line, were time lost, it being so easy and ordinary ; yet
to make the line well, handsome, and to twist the hair
even and neat, makes the line strong. For if one hair
be long and another short, the short one receiveth no
strength from the long one, and so breaketh, and then
the other, as too weak, breaks also; therefore you
must twist them slowly, and in the twisting, keep them
from entangling together, which hinders their right
plaiting or bedding. Further, I do not like the mixing
of silk or thread with hair, but if you please, you may.

ANGLING IMPROVED. O

to make the line strong", make it all of silk, or thread,
or hair, as strong* as you please, and the lowest part of
the smallest lute or viol strings, which I have proved
to be very strong, but will quickly rot in the water,
you may however help that in having new and strong-
ones to change for those that decay ; but as to hair, the
most usual matter whereof lines are made, I like sor-
rel, white, and grey best ; sorrel in muddy and boggy
rivers, and both the latter for clear waters. I never
could find such virtue or worth in other colours, to give
them so high praise as some do, yet if any other have
worth in it, I must yield it to the pale or watery green,
and if you fancy that, you may dye it thus. Take a
pottle of allum water, and a large handful of mari-
golds, boil them until a yellow scum arise, then take
half a pound of green copperas, and as much verde-
grease, heat them into a fine powder, then put those
with the hair into the allum-water, set all to cool for
twelve hours, then take out the hair and lay it to dry.
Leave a bought, or bout, at both ends of the line, the
one to put it to, and take it from your rod, the other to
hang your lowest link upon, to which your hook is
fastened, and so that you may change your hook as often
as you please.

3. Let your hooks be long in the shank, and of a
compass somewhat inclining to rOundness, but the
point must stand even and straight, and the bending
must be in the sliank ; for if the shank be straight, the
point will hang outward, though when set on it may
stand right, yet it will after the taking of a few fish.

n ANGLING IMPROVED.

cause the hair at the end of the shank to stand bent,
and so, consequently cause the point of the hook to lie
or hang- too much outward, whereas upon the same
ground the bending shank will then cause the point of
the hook to hang directly upwards.

When you set on yom* hook, do it with strong but
small silk, and lay your hair upon the inside of the hook,
for if on the outside the silk will cut and fret it asunder;
and to avoid the fretting of the hair by the hook on the
inside, smooth all your hooks upon a whetstone, from
the inside to the back of the hook, slope ways.

4. Get the best cork you can without flaws or
holes, as quills and pens are not of sujSicient strength
in strong streams; bore the cork through with a
small hot iron, then put into it a quill of a fit propor-
tion, neither too large to split it, or so small as to slip
out, but so as it may stick in very closely ; then pare
your cork mto the form of a pyramid, or small pear,
and of what size you please, then on a smooth grind-
stone, or with pumice make it complete, for you cannot
pare it so smooth as you may grind it: have corks of
all sizes.

5. Get a musquet or carbine l)ullet, make a hole
through it, and put in a strong twist, hang this on your
hook to try the depth of river or pond.

6. Take so much parchment as will be about four
inches broad, and five long, make the longer end round,
then take so many pieces more as will make five or six
partitions, sew them all together, leaving the side of
the longest square open, to put your lines, spare links.

ANGLING IMPROVED. /

hooks ready fastened, and flies readv made, into the
several partitions; this will contain much, and will also
lie flat and close in your pocket.

7. Have also a little whetstone about two inches
lono-, and one (piarter square; it's much better to shar-
pen your hooks than a file, which either will not touch
a well-tempered hook, or leave it rough but not sharj).

8. Have a piece of cane for the bob and palmer,
with several boxes of divers sizes for your hooks,
corks, silk, thread, lead, flies, &c.

9. Bags of linen and woollen, for all sorts of baits.

10. Have a small pole, made with a loop at the
end, like that of your line, but much larger, to which
must be fastened a small net, to land great fish, with-
out which, should you want assistance, you will be in
danger of losing.

1 1 . Yoiu' pannier cannot be too light ; I have seen
some made of osiers, cleft into slender long splinters,
and so Avrought up, which is very neat, and exceeding
light: you must ever carry with you store of hooks,
lines, hair, silk, thread, lead, links, corks of all sizes,
lest you should lose or break, as is usual, any of them,
and be forced to leave your sport in quest of supplies.

J? AXGLIXG IMPROVED.

CHAP. II.

DIVERS SORTS OF ANGLING J FIRST, OF THE FLY.

As there are many kinds and sorts of fish, so there are
also various anddiflferent ways to take them ; and, there-
fore, before we proceed to speak how to take each kind,
we must say something in general of the several ways
of angling, as necessary to the better order of our
work.

Angling, therefore, may be distinguished either
into fishmg by day, or, which some commend, but the
cold and dews caused me to dis- relish that which im-
paired my health, by night; and these again are of two
sorts, either upon the superficies of the water, or more
or less under tlie surface thereof: of this sort is angling
with tlie ground-line, with lead, but no float, for the
Trout, or with lead and float for all sorts of fish, or near
the surface of the water for Chub, Roach, &c. or mth
a troll for the Pike, or a minnow for the Trout; of
which more in due place.

That Avay of angling upon or above the water, is
with cankers, palmers, caterpillars, cad-bait, or any
worm bred on herbs or trees, or with flies as well natural
as artificial; of these last shall be our first discourse,
as comprising much of the other last-named, and as
being the most pleasant and delightful part of angling.

But I must here beg leave to dissent from the
opinion of such who assign a certam fly to each month,
whereas T am certain, scarce any one sort of fly con-

ANGLING IMPROVED. ^

tinues its colour and virtue one month ; and generally
all flies last a much shorter time, except the stone-fly,
by some called the May-fly, which is bred of the water
cricket, creeps out of the river, and netting- under the
stones by the water side, tarns to a fly, and lies
under the stones ; the May-fly and the reddish fly with
ashy grey wings. Besides the season of the year may
much vary the time of their coming in; a forward
Spring brings them in sooner, and a late Spring the
later. Flies being creatures bred of putrefaction, take
life as the heat furthers or disposes the seminal virtue
by which they are generated into animation: and there-
fore all I can say as to time is, that your own observa-
tion must be your best instructor, when is the time
that each fly conies in, and mil be most acceptable to
the fish, of which I shall speak more fully in the next
section. Further also I have observed, that several rivers
and soils produce several sorts of flies ; as the mossv
boggy soils have one sort peculiar to them; the clay soil ,
gravely and mountainous country and rivers; and a mel-
low light soil different from them all; yet some sorts are
common to all these sorts of rivers and soils, but they
are few, and differ somewhat in colour from those bred
elsewhere in other soils.

In general, all sorts of flies are very good in their
season, for such fish as will rise at the fly, viz. Salmon,
Trout, Umber, Grayling, Bleak, Clievin, Roach, Dace,
&c. Though some of these fish do love some flies
better than other, except the fisli named, I know not
any sort or kind that will ordinarily and freely rise at

10 ANGLING IMPROVED.

the fly, though I know some who angle for Bream and
Pike with artificial flies, but I judge the labour lost, and
the knowledge a needless curiosity; those fish being
taken much easier, especially the Pike, by other ways.
All the fore-mentioned sorts of fish will sometimes
take the fly much better at the top of the \vater, and at
another time much better a little under the superficies
of the water; and in this your own observation must be
your constant and daily instructor; for if they will not
rise to the top, try them under, it 1)eing impossible, in
my opinion, to give any certain rule in this particular:
also the five sorts of fish first named will take the arti-
ficial fly, so will not the other, except an oak-worm or
cad-bait be put on the point of the hook, or some other
worm suitable, as the fly must be, to the season.

You may also observe, what my own experience
taught me, that the fish never rise eagerly and freely
at any sort of fly, until that kind come to the water's
side ; for though I have often, at the first coming in of
some flies, which I judged they liked best got several
of them, yet I could never find that they did much, if at
all value them, until those sorts of flies began to flock
to the rivers sides, and were to be found on the trees
and bushes there in great numbers ; for all sorts of flies,
wherever bred, do, after a certain time, come to the
banks of rivers, I suppose to moisten their bodies dried
with the heat ; and from the bushes and herbs there,
skip and play upon the water, were the fish lie in wait
for them, and after a short time die, and are not to be
found : though of some kinds there come a second sort

ANGLING IMPROVED. 11

afterwards, but much less, as the orange-fly; and when
they thus flock to the river, then is the best season
to angle with that fly. And that thou may the better find
what fly they covet most at that instant, do thus :

When you come first to the river in the morning,
with your rod beat upon the bushes or bouglis which
hang over the water, and by their falling upon the
water you will see what sorts of flies are there in great-
est numbers ; if divers sorts, and equal in number, try
them all, and you will quickly find which they most de-
sire. Sometimes they change their fly; though not very
usual, twice or thrice in one day ; but ordinarily they
do not seek another sort of fly till they have for some
days even glutted themselves with a former kind, which
is commonly when those flies die and go out. Directly
contrary to our London gallants, who must have the
first of every thing, when hardly to be got, but scorn
the same when kindly ripe, healthful, common, and
cheap ; but the fish despise the first, and covet when
plenty, and when that sort grow old and decay, and
another cometh in plentifully, then they change; as if
nature taught them, that every thing is best in its own
proper season, and not so desirable when not kindly
ripe, or when through long continuance it begins to lose
its native worth and goodness.

I shall add a few cautions and directions in the use
of the natural fly, and then proceed :

1. When you angle for Chevin, Roach, or Dace,
with the fly, you must not move your fly swiftly; when
you see the fish coming towards it, but rather after one

}2 ANGLING IMPROVED.

or two short and slow removes, suffer the fly to ^lide
gently with the stream towards the fish ; or if m a stand-
ing or very slow water, draw the fly slowly, and not di-
rectly upon him, but sloping and sidewise by him, which
will make him more eager lest it escape him; for,
should you move it nimbly and quick, they will not,
being fish of slow motion, follow as the Trout will.

2. When Chub, Roach, or Dace shew themselves
in a sun-sliiny day upon the top of the water, they are
most easily caught with baits proper for them ; and you
may chuse from amongst them which you please to take.

3, They take an artificial fly with a cad-bait, or
oak- worm, on the point of the hook; and the oak-worm,
when they shew themselves is, better upon the water
than under, or than the fly itself, and is more desired by
them.

CHAP. III.

OF THE ARTIFICIAL FLY.

Having given these few directions for the use of the
natural fly of all sorts, and shewed the time and season
of their coming, and how to find them, and cautioned
you in the use of them, I shall proceed to treat of the
artificial fly. But here I must premise, that it is much
better to learn how to make a fly by sight, than by any
written direction that can possil)ly be expressed, in re-
gard the terms of art do in most parts of England differ,
and also several sorts of flies are called by different

ANGLING IMPROVED. 13

names ; some call the fly bred of the water cricket or
creeper a May-fly, and some a stone-fly ; some call the
cad-bait fly a May, and some call a short fly, of a sad
golden green colour, with short brown wings, a iMay-fly:
and I see no reason but all flies bred in May, are pro-
perly enough called May-flies. Therefore, except some
one that hath skill, would paint them, I can neither
well give their names nor describe them, without too
much trouble and prolixity; nor, as lalledged, in regard
of the variety of soils and rivers, describe the flies that
are bred and frequent each : but the angler, as before
directed, having found the fly which tlie fish at present
affect, let him make one as like it as possibly he can,
in colour, shape, proportion ; and for his better imita-
tion let him lay the natural fly before him. All this
premised and considered, let him ^o on to make his fly,
\vhich according to my own practice I thus advise

First, I begin to set on my hook, placing the hair
on the inside of its shank, with such coloured silk as I
conceive most proper for the fly, beginning at the end
of the hook, and when I come to that place which I con-
ceive most proportionable for the wings, then I place
such coloured feathers there, as I apprehend most re-
semble the wings of the fly, and set the points of the
wings towards the head; or else I run the feathers, and
those must be stripped from the quill or pen, with part of
it still cleaving lo tue feathers, round the hook, and so
make them fast, if I turn the feathers round the hook ;
then I clip away those that are upon the back of the
hook, that so, if it be possible, the point of the hook

14 ANGLING IMPROVED.

may be forced by the feathers left on the inside of the
hook, to swim upwards ; and l)y this means I conceive
the stream will carry your flies' wings in the posture of
one flying ; whereas if you set the points of the \vings
backwards, towards the bending of the hook, the stream,
if the feathers be gentle as they ought, will fold the
points of the wings in the bending of the hook, as I have
often found by experience. After having set on the
wing, I go on so far as I judge fit, till I fasten all, and
then begin to make the body, and the head last ; the
body of the fly I make several ways ; if the fly be one
entire colour, then I take a worsted thread, or moccoda
end, or twist wool or fur into a kind of thread, or wax
a small slender silk thread, and lay wool, fur, &c. upon
it, and then twist, and the material will stick to it, and
then go on to make my fly small or large, as I please.
If the fly, as most are, be of several colours, and those
running in circles round the fly, then I either take two
of these threads, fastening them first towards the bend of
the hook, and so run them round, and fasten all at the
wings, and then make the head ; or else I lay upon the
hook, wool, fur of hare, dog, fox, bear, co\v, or hog,
which, close to their bodies, have a fine fur, and with a
silk of the other colour bind the same wool or fur down,
and then fasten all : or instead of the silk running thus
round the fly, you may pluck the feather from one side
of those long feathers which grow about a cock or ca-
pon's neck or tail, by some called hackle j then run the
the same round your fly, from head to tail, making both
ends fast 3 but you must be sure to suit the feather an-

ANGLING IMPROVED. 15

swerable to the colour you are to imitate in the fly ; and
this way you may counterfeit those rough insects, which
some call wool-beds, because of their wool-like outside
and rini^s of divers colours, though I take them to be
palmer worms, which the fish much delight in. Let me
add this only, that some flies have forked tails, and some
have horns, both which you must imitate with a slender
hair fastened to the head or tail of your fly, when you
first set on your hook, and in all things, as length, co-
lour, as like the natural fly as possibly you can : the
head is made after all the rest of the body, of silk or
hair, as being of a more shining glossy colour than the
other materials, as usually the head of the fly is more
bright than the body, and is usually of a different colour
from the body. Sometimes I make the body of the fly
with a peacock's feather, but that is only one sort of
fly, whose colour nothing else that I could ever get
would imitate, being the short, sad, golden, green fly I
before mentioned, which I make thus : take one strain
of a peacock's feather, or if that be not sufficient, then
another, wrap it about the hook, till the body be ac-
cording to your mind J if your fly be of divers colours,
and those lying long ways from head to tail, then I take
my dubbing, and lay them on the hook long ways, one
colour by another, as they are mixed in the natural fly,
from head to tail, then bind all on, and fasten them with
silk of the most predominant colour ; and this I conceive
is a more artificial way than is practised by many ang-
lers, who use to make such a fly, all of one colour, and
bind it on with silk, so that it looks like a flv with round

16

ANGLING IMPROVED.

circles, but in nothing- at all resembling the fly it is in-
tended for: the head, horns, tail, are made as before.
That you may the better counterfeit all sorts of flies,
get furs of all sorts and colours you can possibly pro-
cure, as of bear's hair, foxes, cows, hogs, dogs, which
close to their bodies have a fine soft hair or fur, moc-
cado ends, crewels, and dyed wool of all colours, with
feathers of cocks, capons, hens, teals, mallards, wid-
geons, pheasants, partridges, the feather under the mal-
lard, teal or widgeon's wings, and about their tails, about
a cock or capon's neck and tail, of all colours ; and ge-
nerally of all birds, the kite, &c. that you may make
yours exactly of the colour with the natural fly. And
here I ^vill give some cautions and directions, as for the
natural fly, and so pass on to baits for angling at the
ground.

1 . When you angle with the artifical fly, you must
either fish in a river not fully cleared from some ram
lately fallen, that had discoloured it; or in a moorish
river, discoloured by moss or bogs ; or else in a dark
cloudy day, when a gentle gale of wind moves the water ;
but if the mnd be high, yet so as you may guide your
tools with advantage, they will rise in the plain deeps,
and then and there you will commonly kill the best fish ;
but if the wind be little or none at all, you must angle
in the swift streams.

2. You must keep your artificial fly in continual
motion, though the day be dark, the water muddy, and
the wind blow, or else the fish will discern and refuse it.

3. If you angle in a river that is mudded by rain,

ANGLfNG IMPROVED. 17

or passing- through mosses or bogs, you must use a
larger bodied fly than ordinary, which argues, that in
clear rivers the fly must be smaller; and this not being
observed by some, hinders their sport, and they impute
their want of success to their want of tlie right fly, when
perhaps they have it, but made too large.

4. If the water be clear and low, then use a small
bodied fly with slender wings.

5. When the water begins to clear after rain, and
is of a brownish colour, then a red or orange fly.

C. If the day be clear, then a light coloured fly,
with slender body and wings.

7. In dark weather, as well as dark waters, your
fly must be dark.

8. If the water be of a whey colour, or whitish,
then use a black or brown fly : yet these six last rules do
not always hold, though usually they do, or else 1 had
omitted them.

9. Observe principally the belly of the fly, for
that colour the fish observe most, as being most in their
eye.

10. When you angle with an artificial fly, your
line may be twice the length of your rod, except the
river be much encumbered with wood and trees.

1 1 . For every sort of fly have three ; one of a
lighter colour, another sadder than the natural fly, and
a third of the exact colour with the fly, to suit all
waters and weathers, as before.

12. I never could find, by any experience of mine
own, or other man's observation, that fish would freely

c

18 ANGLING IMPROVED.

and eagerly rise at the artificial fly, in any slow muddy
rivers : by muddy rivers, I mean such rivers, the bottom
or ground of which is slime or mudj for such as are
mudded by rain, as I have already, and shall afterwards
further, shew at sometimes and seasons I would choose
to angle, yet in standing meers or sloughs, I have
known them, in a good wind, to rise very well, but not
so in slimy rivers, either the Weever, in Cheshire, or
the Sow, in Staffordshire, and others in Wanvickshire,
&c. and the Black-water in Ulster j in the last, after
many trials, though in its best streams, I could never
find almost any sport, save at its influx in Lough Neagh;
but there the working of the Lough makes it sandy -, and
they will bite also near Tom Shane's Castle, Mountjoy,
Antrim, &c. even to admiration; yet sometimes they
will rise in that river a little, but not comparable to what
they will do in every little Lough, in any small gale of
wind. And though I have often reasoned in my own
thoughts, to search out the true cause of this, yet I could
never so fully satisfy myownjudgment,soas to conclude
any thing positively j yet have taken up these two en-
suing particulars as most probable.

1. I conjectured the depth of the loughs might
hinder the force of the sun beams from operating upon,
or heating the mud in those rivers, wliich though deep,
yet are not so deep as the loughs; I apprehend that to
be the cause, as in great droughts fish bite but little in
any river, but not at all in slimy rivers, in regard the
mud is not cooled by the constant and swift motion of
the river, as in gravelly or sandy rivers, where, in fit

ANGLING IMPROVED. 19

seasons, they rise most freely, and bite most eagerly,
save as before in droughts, notwithstanding at that sea-
son some sport may be had, though not with the fly,
whereas nothing at all will be done in muddy slow rivers.
2. My second supposition was, whether, accord-
ing to that old received axiom, suo quaeque, similima
coelo, the fish might not partake of the nature of the
river, in which they are bred and live, as we see in men
born in fenny, boggy, low, moist grounds, and thick
air, who ordinarily want that present quickness, vivacity,
and activity of body and mind, which persons born in
dry, hilly, sandy soils and clear air, are usually endued
withal. The fish participating of the nature of the
muddy river, which is ever slow, for if they were swift,
the stream would cleanse them from all mud, are not
so quick, lively, and active, as those bred in swift, sandy,
or stony rivers, and so coming to the fly witli more de-
liberation, discern the same to be counterfeit, and for-
sake it ; whereas, on the contrary, in stony, sandy, swift
rivers, being colder, the fish are more active, and so
more hungry and eager, the stream and hand keeping
the fly in continual motion, they snap the same up with-
out any pause, lest so desirable a morsel escape them.
You must have a very quick eye, a nimble rod
and hand, and strike with the rising of the fish, or he
instantly finds his mistake, and forces out the hook
agam : I could never, my eye-sight l)eing weak, discern
perfectly where my fly was, the wind and stream carry-
ing it so to and again, that the line was never any cer-
tain direction or guide to me ; but if I savv a fish rise, I

20 ANGLING IMPROVED.

use to strike if I discerned it might be within the length
of my line.

Be sure in casting-, that your fly fall first into
the water, for if the line fall first, it scares or frightens
the fish ; therefore dra\v it back, and cast it ag-ain, that
the fly may fall first.

When you try how to fit your colour to the fly,
wet your fur, hair, wool, or moccado, otherwise you
will fail in your work ; for though when they are dry,
they exactly suit the colour of the fly, yet the water will
alter most colours, and make them lighter or darker.

The best way to angle with the cad-bait, is to fish
with it on the top of the water, as you do with the fly;
it must stand upon the shank of the hook, in like man-
ner with the artificial fly ; if it come into the bend of
the hook, the fish will little or not at all value it, nor if
you pull the blue gut out of it ; and to make it keep that
place, you must, when you set on your hook, fasten a
horse hair or two under the silk, with the ends standing
a very little out from under the silk, and pointing to-
wards the line ; this will keep it from sliding back into
the bend; and thus used, it is a most excellent bait for
a Trout. You may imitate the cad-bait, by making the
body of chamois, the head of black silk.

I might here notice several sorts of flies, with the
colours that are used to make them ; but for the rea-
sons before given, that their colours alter in several
rivers and soils, and also because, though I name the
colours, yet it is not easy to choose that colour by any
description, except so largely performed as would be

ANGLING IMPROVED. 21

over lari^c, and swell this small piece beyond my intend-
ed conciseness, which are easy and short, if rightly ob-
served, are full enough, and sufficient for making- and
finding- out all sorts of flies in all rivers. I shall only
add, that the kSalmon flies must be made with wings
standing one behind the other, whether two or four;
also he delights in the most gaudy and orient colours
you can choose 3 the wings I mean chiefly, if not alto-
gether, with long tails and wings.

CHAP. IV.

OF ANGLING AT THE GROUND.

]Vow we are come to the second part of angling, viz.
under the water, which if it be with the ground-line for
the Trout, then you must not use any float at all, only
a plumb of lead, which I would wish might be a small
bullet, the better to roll on the ground ; and it must also
be lighter or heavier, as the stream runs swift or slow,
and you must place it about nine inclies or a foot from
the hook ; the lead must run upon the ground, and you
must keep your line as straight as possible, yet by no
means so as to raise the lead from the ground; your
top must be very gentle, that the fish may more easily,
and to himself insensibly, run away with the bait, and
not be scared with the stiffiiess of the rod; and if you
make your top of black-thorn and whale-bone, as I be-
fore directed, it will conduce much to this purpose:
neither must you strike so soon as you feel the fish bite.

9-2

ANGLING IMPROVED.

but slack your line a little, that so he may more se-
curely swallow the bait, and hook himself, which he will
sometimes do, especially if he be a good one ; the least
jerk, however, hooks him, and indeed you can scarce
strike too easily. Your tackle must be very fine and
slender, and so you will have more sport than if you had
strong lines, which frighten the fish, but the slender line
is easily broke j with a small jerk. Morning and even-
ing are the best times for the ground-line for a Trout,
in clear weather and water, but in cloudy weather, or
muddy water, you may angle at ground all day.

2. You may also in the night angle for the Trout
with two great garden worms, hanging as equally in
length as you can place them on your hook ; cast them
from you as you would cast the fly, and draw them to
you again upon the top of the water, and not suffer
them to sink J therefore you must use no lead this way of
angling ; when you hear the fish rise, give some time for
him to gorge your bait, as at the ground, then strike
gently. If he will not take them at the top, add some
lead, and try at the ground, as in the day time ; when
you feel him bite, order yourself as in day angling at
the ground. Usually the best Trouts bite in the night,
and will rise in the still deeps, but not ordinarily in the
stream.

3. You may angle also with a minnow for the
Trout, which you must put on your hook thus : first,
put your hook through the very point of his lower chap,
and draw it quite through ; then put your hook in at
his mouth, and bring the point to his tail, then draw

ANGLING IMPROVED. 23

your line straij^ht, and it will bring him into a round
compass, and close his mouth that no water get in,
which you must avoid ; or you may stitch up his mouth ;
or you may, when you have set on your hook, fasten
some bristles under the silk, leaving the points about a
straw's breadth and half, or almost half an inch stand-
ing out towards the line, which will keep him from
slipping back. You may also imitate the minnow as
well as the fly, but it must be done by an artist with the
needle.

You must also have a swivel or turn, placed about
a yard or more from your hook, observing you need no
lead on your line, for you must continually draw your
bait up the stream, near the top of the water. If you
strike a large Trout, and it should break either your
hook or line, or get off, then near to her hole, if you
can discover it, or the place you struck her, fix a short
stick in the Avater, and with your knife loose a small
piece of the rind, so as you may lay your line in it, and
yet the bark be close enough to keep your line in, that
it slip not out, nor the stream carry it away : bait yoiu*
hook with a garden or lob-worm, your hook and line
being veiy strong, let the bait hang a foot from the
stick, then fasten the other end of your line to some
stick or bough in the bank, and within one hour, you
may be sure of her, if all your tackle hold.

The next way of angling is with a troll for the
Pike, which is very delightful ; you may buy your troll
ready made, therefore I shall not trouble myself to de-
scribe it, only let it have a winch to wind it up withall.

24 ANGLING IMPROVED.

For this kind of fish, your tackle must be strong', your
rod must not be very slender at the top, where you must
place a small slender ring for your line to run through ;
let your line be silk, at least two yards next the hook,
and the rest of strong shoe-makei-'s thread; your hook
double, and strongly armed with wire, for above a foot;
then with a probe or needle, you must draw the wire in
at the fish's mouth and out at the tail, that so the hook
may lie in the mouth of the fish, and both the points on
either side; upon the shank of the hook fasten some lead
very smooth, that it go into the fish's mouth, and sink
her with the head downward, as though she had been play-
ing on the top of the water, and were returning to the
bottom ; your bait may be small Roach, Dace, Gudgeon,
Loach, or sometimes a Frog; your hook thus baited, you
must tie the tail of the fish close and fast to the wire, or
else with drawing to and again, the fish ^vill rend off the
hook, or, which I judge neater, with a needle and strong
thread, stitch through the fish on either side the wire,
and tie it very fast : all being thus fitted, cast your fish
up and down in such places as you know Pike frequent,
observing still, that he sink some depth before you pull
him up again. When the Pike rises, if it be not sunk
deep, you may see the water move, or at least you may
feel him ; then slacken your line, and give him length
enough to run away to his hold, whither he will go di-
rectly, and there pouch it, ever beginning, as you may
observe, with the head swallowing that first, thus let
him lie, until you see the line move in tlie water, and
then you may certainly conclude he hath pouched your

ANGLING IMPROVED. 25

bait, and raiifveth abroad for more ; then with your troll
wind up your line, till you think you have it almost
straio'ht, then with a smart jerk hook him, and make
your pleasure to your content. Some use no rod at
all, but hold the line in links on their hand, using- lead
and float. Others use a very irreat hook, with the hook
at the tail of the fish, and when the Pike rises,then they
strike at the first pull. Others put a strong- string or
thread in at the mouth of the bait, and out at one of the
g-iils ; then over the head, and in at tlie other gill, and
so tie the bait to the hook, leaving a little length of the
thread or string betwixt the fish and the hook, that so
the Pike may turn the head of the bait, the better to
swallow it, and then as before ; after some pause, strike.
Some tie the l)ait-hook and line to a bladder or bundle
of flags, or bull-rushes, fastening- the line very gently
in the cleft of a small stick, to hold the bait from sink-
ing more than its allowed length, half a yard. The
stick must be fastened to the bladder or flags, to which
the line being tied, that it may easily unfold and run to
its length, and so give the Pike liberty to run away
with the bait, and by the bladder or flag-s, recover their
line again. You must observe this way to turn off your
bait with the wind or stream, that they may carry it
away. Some use, for more sport, if the Pike be a great
one, to tie the same to the foot of a goose, which the
Pike, if large, ^vill sometimes pull under the water.
Before I proceed to give you each sort of bait for every
kind of fish, give me leave to add a caution or two, for

26

ANGLING IMPROVED.

the g-round-line and fishing, as I did for the natural and
artificial fly, and then we shall go on.

There are two ways of fishing for Eels, proper and
peculiar to that fish alone ; the first is termed by some,
angling for Eels, which is thus : take a short strong rod,
and exceeding strong line, with a little compassed, but
strong hook, which you must bait with a large well-
scoured red worm, then place the end of the hook very
easily in a cleft of a stick, that it may very easily slip
out 3 with this stick and hook thus baited, search for
holes under stones, timbers, roots, or about flood-gates;
if there be a good Eel, give her time, and she will take
it; but be sure she has gorged it, and then you may
conclude, if your tackling hold, she is your o^vn.

The other way is called bobbing for Eels, which
is thus : take the largest garden worms, scour them well,
and ^vith a needle run a very strong thread or silk
through them from end to end ; take so many as that at
last you may wrap them about a board, for your hand
will be too narrow, a dozen times at least, then tie them
fast with the other two ends of the thread or silk, that
they may hang in so many long bouts or hanks ; then
fasten all to a strong cord, and something more than a
handful above the worms, fasten a plumb of lead, of
about three quarters of a pound, making your cord sure
to a long and strong pole; with these worms thus or-
dered, you must fish in a muddy water, and you will
feel the Eels tug strongly at them; when you think
they have swallowed them as far as they can, gently

ANGLING IMPROVED. 27

draw up your worms and Eels, and when you have them
near the top of the water, hoist them amain to land ; and
thus you may take three or four at once, and good ones,
if there be store.

1 . When you angle at ground, keep your line as
straight as possible, suffering none of it to lie in the
water, because it hmders the nimble jerk of the rod;
but if, as sometimes it will happen, that you cannot
avoid but some little will lie in the water, yet keep it in
the stream above your float, by no means below it.

2. When you angle at ground for small fish, put
two hooks to your line, fastened together thus : lay the
two hooks together, then draw the one sliorter than the
other by nine inches, this will cause the other end to
over-reach as much, as the other is shorter at the
hooks, then turn that end back, and with a water-
knot, in which you must make both the links to fasten,
tie them so as both links may hang close together, and
'not come out at both ends of the knot. Then upon that

link which hangeth longest, fasten your lead near a foot
above the hook; put upon your hooks two different baits,
and so you may try, with more ease and less time, what
bait the fish love best ; and also very often, as I have
done, take two fish at once with one rod. Vou have
also, by this experience, one bait for such as feed close
upon the ground, as Gudgeon, Flounder, &c. and an-
other for such as feed a little higher, as Roach,Dace, &c.

3. Some use to lead their lines heavily, and to set
their float about a foot or more from the end of the rod,
with a little lead to buoy it up, and thus in violent swift

28 ANGLING IMPROVED.

streams, they avoid the offence of a float, and yet per-
fectly discern the biting- of the fish, and so order them-
selves accordingly ; but this has its inconvenience, viz.
the lying of the line in the water.

4. Give all fish time to gorge the bait, and be not
over hasty, except you angle with such tender baits as
^vill not endure nibbling at, but must upon every touch
be struck at, as sheep's-blood and flies, which are taken
away at the first pull of the fish, and therefore enforce
you, at the first touch, to try your fortune.

Now we are to speak next of baits, more particu-
larly proper for every fish, wherein I shall observe this
method, first to name the fish, then the baits, accord-
ing as my experience hath proved them grateful to the
fish ; and to place them as near as I can in such order as
they come in season, though many of theni are in sea-
son at one instant of time, and equally good. I would
not be understood, as if when a new bait comes in, the
old one were antiquated and useless ; for I know the
worm lasts all the year, files all the Summer, one sort
of bob-worm all the Winter, the other under cow-dung,
in June and July; but I intimate that some are found
when others are not in rerum natura.

ANGLING IMPROVED.

29

CHAP. V.

OF Af-L SORTS OF BAITS FOR EACH KIND OF FISH, AND
HOW TO FIND AND KEEP THEM.

l^E Salmon takes the artificial fly very vvellj but you
must use a troll, as for the Pike, or he, being a strong
fish, will hazard your line, except you give him length :
his flies must be much larger than you use for other fish,
the wings very long, two or four, behind one another,
with very long tails j bis chiefest ground-bait a great
garden or lob-worm.

TROrT

M

V^^M

^^

_^^^^^^^^^

^1^

^^^

i

2. The Trout takes all sorts of worms, especially
brandlings ; all sorts of flies, the minnow, young frogs,
marsh-worm, dock-worm, flag-worm, all sorts of cad-

30

ANGLING IMPROVED.

bait, bob, palmers, caterpillars, gentles, wasps, hornets,
dores, bees, grasshoppers, cankers, and bark-worm ; he
is a ravenous, greedy fish, and loveth a large bait at
ground, and you must fit him accordingly.

3. The Umber, or Grayling, is generally taken
with the same baits as the Trout ; he is an eager fish,
biteth freely, and will rise often at the same fly, if you
prick him not.

The Barbel bites best at great red worms, well
scoured in moss ; gentles, cheese, or paste, made of
cheese with suet, maggots, and red worms j feed much
for this fish.

ANGLING IMPROVED.

31

the

4. Carp and Tench love the largest red worms,

especially if they smell much of tar; to which end you
may, some small tune before you use them, take so many
as you will use at that time, and put them by them-
selves in a little tar, but let them not lie loner lest it kill
them ; paste also of all sorts, made with strong-scented
oils, tar, bread, grain boiled soft, maggots, gentles,
marsh-worm, flag-worm, especially; feed much and
often for these fish.

PIKE

^

-

/ ^

^M

^^

:^^^

^^

^^^

31

ANGLING IMPROVED.

The Pike takes all sorts of baits, save the Fly,
Gudgeon, Roach, Dace,

and young frogs in Summer. You may halter him thus :
fasten a strong line with a snare at the end of it to a
pole, which if you go circumspectly to work, he will
permit you to put it ovei; his head, and then you must
by strength, hoist him to land.

Eels take great red worms, beef, wasps, guts of
fowls, and the minnow. Bait night-hooks for him with
small Roach, the hook must lie in the mouth of the fish,
as for the Pike; this way takes the greatest Eels.

AiVGLING IMPROVED.

,S3

7. The Gudgeon, Ruff, and Bleak, take the
smallest red worms, cad-bait, gentles, and wasps. The
Bleak takes the natural or artificial fly, especially in
the evenini^-.

8. The Ruff takeththe same baits as the Pearch,
save that you must have lesser worms, he beino- a
smaller fish.

9. For Roach and Dace take small worms,
cad-bait, flies, bobs, sheep's-blood, small white snails,
all sorts of worms bred on herbs or trees, paste, wasps,
and gnats.

The Bleak is an eager fish, and takes the same
baits as the Roach, only they must be less. You may
angle for him with as many hooks on your line at once,
as you can conveniently fasten on it.

34

ANGLING IMPROVED.

10. The Chevin or Chub, all sorts of earth-
worms, bob, the minnow, flies of all sorts, cad-bait, all
sorts of worms bred on herbs and trees, especially oak-
worms, yomig frog's, wasps, bees, or grasshoppers, on
the top of the water ; cheese, grain, beetles, a great
brown fly that lives on the oak, black snails, their bellies
slit that the white appear j he loves a large bait, as a
wasp, colwort-worm, and then a wasp altogether.

1 1 . The Bream takes red worms, especially those
that are got at the root of a great Dock, it lies ^vTapped
up in a knot, or round clue; paste, flag-worms, wasps,
green-flies, butter-flies, or a grasshopper, his legs beinu
cut ofl".

12. Flounder, Shad, and Mullet, love red
worms of all sorts, \vasps, and gentles.

As for the Minnow, Loach, Bull-head, or

'*■

ANnLIlSTO IMPROVED.

35

being" usually children's recreation, I once purposed to
have omitted them wholly, but considerinc^ they often
are baits for better fish, as Trout, Pike, Eel, Sec. Nei-
ther could this discourse be general, if they were
omitted; and though I should wave mentioning them,
yet I cannot forget them, who have so often vexed me
with their unwelcome eagerness : for the

will have a part m the play, if you come where he is ;
which is almost every where, you need not seek him : I
find him much oftener than I desire, it is only in deep still
places which he least frequents, and is not over curious
in his baits ; any thing will serve that he can swallow,
and he will strain hard for what he cannot gorge : but
chiefly likes small red worms, cad-bait, worms bred on
trees, and wasps.

The Loach and Bull-head are much of the
same diet ; but their principal bait is small red worms.

Having spoken before of pastes, I shall now shew
how you may make the same ; and though there be as
many kinds as men have fancies, yet I esteem these best.

1. Take the tenderest part of the leg of a young
rabbit, virgin wax, and sheep's-suet • beat them in a
mortar till they be perfectly incorporated, then with a

36 ANGLING IMPROVED.

little clarified honey, temper them before the fiire into
a paste.

2. Sheep's-kidney suet, as much cheese, fine flower
or manchet, make it into a paste ; soften it with clari-
fied honey.

3. Sheep's blood, cheese, fine manchet, clarified
honey; make all into a paste.

4. Sheep's blood, saffron, and fine manchet; make
all into a paste.

You may add to any paste, coculus-indiae, assa-
foetida, oil of polipody of the oak, of lig-num vitse, of
ivy, or the gum of ivy dissolved : I judg-e there is virtue
in these oils, and gum especially, which I would add to
all pastes I make, as also a little flax to keep the paste,
that it wash not off" the hook.

CHAP. VI.

TO KEEP YOUR BAITS.

1 . Paste will keep very long-, if you put virgin wax
and clarified honey into it, and stick well on the hook,
if you beat cotton wool, or flax into it, when you make
your paste.

2. Put your worms into veiy good long moss,
whether white, red, or green, matters not ; wash it well,
and cleanse it from all earth and filth, wring it very
dry, then put your worms into an earthen pot, cover it
close that they crawl not out ; set it in a cool place in
Summer, and in Winter in a warm place, that the frost

ANGLING IMPROVED. 37

kill them not ; every third day in Summer change your
moss, and once in the week in Winter 3 the longer you
keep them before you use them the better: clean
scouring your worms makes them clear, red, tough,
and to live long on the hook, and to keep colour, and
therefore more desireable to the fish : a little Bol Amo-
niac put to them, Avill much further your desire, and
scour them in a short time : or you may put them all
night in water, and they will scour themselves, which
will weaken them; but a few hours in good moss will
recover them. Lest your worms die, you may feed
them with crumbs of bread and milk, or fine flour and
milk, or the yolk of an egg, and sweet cream coagu-
lated over the fire, given to them a little and often;
sometimes also put to them earth cast out of a grave,
the newer the grave the better ; I mean the shorter time
the party hath been buried, you will find the fish will
exceedingly covet them after this earth, and here you
may gather what gum that is, which J. D. in his Secrets
of Angling, calls ' Gum of Life.'

3. You must keep all other sorts of worms with
the leaves of those trees and herbs on which they are
bred, renewing the leaves often in a day, and put in
fresh for the old ones : the boxes you keep them in
must have a few small holes to let in air.

4. Keep gentles or maggots with dead flesh,
beast's livers, or suet ; cleanse or scour them in meal,
or bran, which is better; you may breed them by prick-
ing a beast's liver full of holes, hang it in the sun in
Summer time; set an old course barrel, or small firkin.

38

ANGLING IMPROVED.

with clay and bran in it, into which they will drop, and
cleanse themselves in it.

5. Cad-bait cannot endure the wind and cold,
therefore keep them in a thick woollen bag-, with some
gravel amongst them : wet them once a day, at least, if
in the house, but often in the hot weather : when you
carry them forth, fill the bag full of water, then hold the
mouth close, that they drop not out, and so let the
water run from them; I have thus kept them three
weeks, or you may put them into an earthern pot full
of water, with some gravel at the bottom, and take
them forth into your bag as you use them.

6. The spawn of some fish is a good bait, to be
used at such time as that fish is spawning : some days
before they spawn they will bite eagerly ; if you take
one that is full-bellied, take out the spaAvn, boil it so
hard as to stick on your hook, and so use it ; or not boil
it at all, the spawn of Salmon is the best of all sorts of
spawn.

7. I have observed, that Chevin, Roach, and

bite much better at the oak-worm, or any worm bred
on herbs and trees, especially if you angle with the

ANGLING IMPROVED. 39

same, when they shew themselves at the top of the
water, as with the natural fly, than if you use it under :
for I have observed, that when a gale of wind shakes
the trees, the worms fall into the water, and presently
rise and float on the top, where I have seen the fish rise
at them, as at flies, whicli taught me this experience;
and indeed they sink not, till tost and beaten by the
stream, and so die and lose their colour; the fish then,
as you may see by your own on your hook, do not much
esteem them.

8. There are two, some say three, sorts of cad-
bait; the one bred under stones, that lie hollow in shal-
low rivers, or small brooks, in a very fine gravelly case
or husk, these are yellow when ripe : the other in old
pits, ponds, or slow running rivers, or ditches, in cases
or husks of straw, sticks, or rushes, these are green
when ripe : both are excellent for Trout, used as before
du-ected, and for most sorts of small fish, llie green
sort, which is bred in pits, ponds, or ditches, may be
found in March, before the other yellow ones comes in ;
the other yellow ones come in season with May, or the
end of April, and go out in July: a second sort, but
smaller, come in again in August.

9. Yellow bobs are also of two sorts, the one bred
in mellow light soils, and gathered after the plough,
when the land is first broken up from grazing, and are
in season in the Winter till March; the other sort is
bred under cow-dung, hath a red head ; and these are in
season in the -Summer only ; scour them in bran, or dry
moss, or meal.

40 ANGLING IMPROVED.

10. Bark-worms are found under the bark of an
oak, ash, alder, and birch, especially if they lie a year or
more after they have fallen, you may find a great white
worm, with a brown head, something- resembling a dore
bee, or humble-bee, this is in season all the year, especi-
ally from September until June, or mid-May j the Um-
ber covets this bait above any, save fly, and cad-bait ;
you may also find this worm in the body of a rotten al-
der, if you break it with an axe or beetle ; but be careful
only to shake the tree in pieces with beating, and crush
not the worm : you may also find him under the bark of
the stump of a tree, if decayed,

11. Dry your wasps, dores, or bees, upon a tile-
stone, or in an oven cooled after baking, lest they burn;
and to avoid that, you must lay them on a thin board or
chip, and cover them with another so supported, as not
to crush them, or else clap two cakes together: this
way they will keep long, and stick on your hook well.
If you boil them hard, they grow black in a few days.

12. Dry your sheep's blood in the air, upon a dry
board, till it become a pretty hard lump ; then cut it into
small pieces for your use.

13. When you use grain, boil it soft, and get oflf
the outward rind, which is the bran ; and then if you will,
you may fry the same in honey and milk, or some strong
scented oils, as polypody, spike, ivy, turpentine ; for
Nature, which maketh nothing in vain, hath given the
fish nostrils, and that they can smell, is undeniable ; and
I am persuaded, more guided by the sense of smelling,
than sight, for sometimes they will come to the float, if

ANGLING IMPROVED. 41

any wax be upon it, smell at it and jro away. Wc see also
that strong scents draw them tooctherj as, put grains,
worms, or snails, in a bottle of hay tied pretty close, and
you will, if you pluck it out suddenly, sometimes draw
up Eels in it. But I never yet made trial of any of
these oils ; for when I had the oils, I wanted time to try
them ; or when I had time, I wanted the oils : but I re-
commend them to others for trial, and do purpose,
God willing, to prove the virtue myself, especially that
ointment so highly commended by J. D. in his Secrets
of Angling' *

* In the edition of 1613, duod. tlie receipt here referred to occurs at
tiie end of the volume :

Would'stthou catch fish?
Then iiere's thy wish ;
Take this receipt
To anoint tl)y bait.
Thou that desirest to fish with line and hook.
Be it in poole, in river, or in brook.
To blisse thy bait, and make the fish to bite,
Loe here's a means if thou canst hit it right ; ;

Take gum of life, fine beat and laid to soak
In oyle, well drawn from that which kills the oak;
Fish where thou wilt, thou shalt have sport thy fill,
When twenty fail, thou shalt be sure to kill.

Probatuni.
It's perfect and good
If well understood
Else not to be told
For silver or gold.
Lauson, who 'augmented with many approved experiments,' the second
edition of the Secrets of Angling, 1662, duod. observes, 'This excellent
receipt divers Anglers can tell you where you may buy them.' On the
subject of 'gum of life,' he continues, 'J have heard much of an oyntment
that will presently cause any fish to bite; but I could never attain the
knowledge thereof, the nearest in mine opinion, except this Probatum, is
the oyle of an ospray, whicii is called Aquila Marina, the Sea-Eagle.

F

42 ANGLING IMPROVED.

14. When you see ant-flies in greatest plenty, go
to the ant-hills where they breed, take a great handful
of the earth, with as much of the roots of the grass
growing on those hills ; put all into a large glass bottle,
then gather a pottle full of the blackest, ant-flies un-
bruised, put them into the bottle, or into a firkin, if you
would keep them long, first washed with honey, or
water and honey; Roach and Dace will bite at these
flies under water near the ground.

15. When you gather bobs after the plough, put
them into a firkm, with sufficient of the soil they were
bred in, to preserve them ; stop the vessel quite close,
or all will spoil ; set it where neither wind nor frost may
offend them, and they will keep all Winter for your use.

16. At the latter end of September, take some
dead carrion that hath some maggots bred in it, which
are beginning to creep; bury all deep in the ground,
that the frost kill them not, and they will serve in
March or April following, to use.

17- To find the flag-worm, do thus: go to an old
pond, or pit, where there are store of flags, or, as some
call them, sedges, pull some up by the roots, then shake

She is of body neare the bignesse of a goose; one of her feete is webM
to swim withall, the other hath talons to catch fish. It seems the fisli
come up to her, for she cannot dive. Some likelihood there is also in a
paste made o( Coculus Indie, Assa-Foetida, Honey and Wheat-flour; but
I never tried them, therefore I cannot prescribe.'

'That which kills the oak,' is expressly said to signify 'the Ivy,'
edit. 1652.

In a third, and hitherto unrecorded edition of the Secrets of
Angling, it is said, 'This excellent receipt you may buy ready and truely
made, at llic signe of the Flying Horse, an Apolhecarits in Carter- Lane.'

Editor.

ANGLING IMPROVED. 43

those roots in the water, till all the mud and dirt be
washed away from them, then amongst the small strings
or fibres that grow to the roots, you will find little husks
or cases of a reddish, or yellowish, and some of other
colours ; open these carefully \vith a pin, and you will
find in them a little small worm, white as a gentle, but
longer and thinner; this is an excellent bait for the
Tench, the Bream, and especially the Carp : if you pull
the flagd asunder, and cut open the round stalk, you will
also find a worm like the former in the husks; but
tougher, and in that respect better.

CHAP. VII.

OF SEVERAL HAUNTS OR RESORTS OF FISH, AND IN WHAT

RIVERS OR PLACES OF THEM THEY ARE MOST

USUALLY FOUND.

This part of our discourse being a discovery of the
several places or rivers each kind of fish do most
haunt or covet, and in which they are ordinarily found.
The several sorts of rivers, streams, soils, and
waters they most frequent, is a matter, in this under-
valued art, of no small importance ; for if you come with
baits for the Trout, or Umber, and angle for them in
slow muddy rivers or places, you will have little, if any
sport at all : and to seek for Carp or Tench in stony
s^vift rivers, is ecpially preposterous ; and though I know
that sometimes you may meet with fish in such rivers
and places, as tlicy do not usually fre(pient, for no ge-

44 ANGLING IMPROVED.

ueral rule but admits of particular exceptions, yet tlie
exact knowledge of what rivers or soils, or what part
of the river, for some rivers have swift gravely
streams, and also slow, deep, muddy places; such or
such sorts of fish do most frequent, will exceedingly
adapt you, to know what rivers, or what part of them
are most fit for your baits, or what baits suit best with
each river, and the fish in the same.

1. The Salmon loves large swift rivers, ^vhere
there is considerable ebbing and flowing, and there that
fish is found in the greatest numbers; nevertheless, I
have known them to be found in lesser rivers, high up
in the country, yet chiefly in the latter end of the year^
when they come thither to spawn, he chooses the most
swift and violent streams, or rather cataracts, and in
England the clearest gravely rivers usually with rocks
or weeds ; but in Ireland, I do not know any river, I
mean high in the country, that hath such plenty of them
as the black water, by Charlemont, and the broad water,
by Shane's Castle, both which have their heads in great
bogs, and are of a dark muddy colour, and very few
comparatively in the upper ban, though clearer and
swifter than they.

2. The Trout is found in small purling brooks,
or rivers that are very swift, and run upon stones or
gravel; he feeds whilst strong in the swiftest streams,
behind a stone, a log, or some small bank, which,
shooting into the river, the streams beareth upon ; and
there he lieth watching for what comes down the stream,
and suddenly catches it up. His hold is usually in the

ANGLING IMPROVED. 45

deep, under a hollow place of the bank, or a stone which
lying hollow, he loves exceedingly; and sometimes,
but not so usually, he is found amongst weeds.

3. The Pearcli prefers a gentle stream, of a rea-
sonable depth, seldom shallow, close by a hollow bank ;
and though these three sorts of fish covet clear and
swift rivers, green weeds, and stony gravel; yet they
are sometimes found, but not in such plenty and good-
ness, in slow muddy rivers.

4. Carp, Tench, and Eel, seek mud and a still
water; Eels under roots or stones, a Carp chooseth the
deepest and most still place of pond or river, so does
the Tench, and also green weeds, which he likes exceed-
ingly ; the greatest Eels love as before ; but the smaller
ones are found in all sorts of rivers and soils.

5. Pike, Bream, and Chub, choose sand or clay :
the Bream, a gentle stream, and the broadest part of the
river; the Pike, still pools full of fry, and shelters him-
self, the better to surprise his prey unawares, amongst
bull-rushes, water-docks, or under-bushes ; the Chub
loves the same ground, but is more rarely found without
some tree to shade and cover him, in large rivers and
streams.

6. Barbel, Roach.Dace, and RufF, seek gravel and
sand more than the Bream, and the deepest parts of the
river, where shady trees are more grateful to them, than
to the Chub or Chevin.

7. The Umber seeks marl, clay, clear waters,
swift streams, far from the Sea, for I never saw any
taken near it; and the greatest plenty of them that I

46 ANGLING IMPROVED.

know of, are found in the mountainous parts of Derby-
shire, Staffordshire, as Dovetrent, Derwent, &c.

8. Gudgeon desires sandy, gravely, gentle streams,
and smaller rivers ; but I have known them taken in
great abundance in Trent, in Derbyshire, where it is
very large ; but conceive them to be in greater plenty
nearer the head of that river, about or above Heywood :
I can say the same of other rivers, and therefore con-
ceive they love smaller rivers rather than the large, or
the small brooks, for I never found them in so great
plenty in brooks, as small rivers; he bites best in the
Spring, till he spawns, and little after till wasp time.

9. Shad, Thwait, Peel, Mullett, Suant, and
Flounder, love chiefly to be in or near the saltish water,
which ebb and flow; I have known the Flounder taken
in good plenty, in fresh rivers ; they covet sand and
gravel, deep gentle streams near the bank, or at the end
of a stream in a deep still place : though these rules
may, and do hold good in the general, yet I have found
them admit of particular exceptions, but every man's
habitation engaged him to one, or usually at most, to
two rivers, his own experience will quickly inform him
of the nature of the same, and the fish in them. I
would persuade all that love angling, and desire to be
complete Anglers, to spend some time in all sorts of
waters, ponds, rivers, swift and slow, stony, gravely,
muddy and slimy; and to observe all the differences in
the nature of the fish, the waters and baits, and by this
means he will be able to take fish where ever he angles ;
otherwise, through want of experience, he will be like

ANGLING IxMPROVED. 4?

the man that could read in no book but his OAvn:
besides, a man, his occasions or desires drawin<^ him
from home, must only stand as an idle spectator, whilst
others kill fish, but he none ; and so lose the repute of
a complete Angler, how excellent soever he be at his
own known river.

Furthermore, you must understand, that as some
fish covet one soil more than another, so they differ in
their choice of places, in every season; some keep all
Summer long near the top, some never leave the bottom;
for the former sort you may angle with a quill or small
float near the top, with a fly, or any sort of worm bred
on herbs or trees, or with a fly at the top : the latter
sort you will, all Summer long, find at the tails of wiers,
mills, flood-gates, arches of bridges, or the more shal-
low parts of the river, in a strong, swift or gentle
stream, except Carp, and Tench, and Eel; in Winter all
retreat into deep still places ; where it ebbs and flows,
they mil sometimes bite best, but in the ebb most
usually; sometimes when it flows, but rarely at full
water, near the arches of Bridges, wiers, or flood-gates.

CHAP. VIII.

WHAT TIMES ARE UNSEASONABLE TO ANGLE IN.

There being a time for all things, in which with ease
and facility the same may be accomplished, and most
difticult, if not impossible, at another: the skill and
knowledge how to choose the best season to angle, and

48 ANGLING IMPROVED.

how to avoid the contrary, come next to be handled ;
which I shall do first negatively, \ iz. what times are un-
fit to angle; and then affirmatively, which are the best
seasons.

1. When the earth is parched with a great drought,
so that the rivers run with a much less current than is
usual, it is to no purpose to angle j and indeed tlie heat
of the day in Summer, except cooled by winds, and
shallowed with clouds, though there be no drought, you
will find very little sport, especially in muddy, or very
shallow and clear rivers.

2. In cold, frosty, snowy weather, I know the fish
must eat in all seasons, and that a man may kill fish
when he must first break the ice ; yet I conceive the
sport is not then worth pursuing, the extreme cold
taking away the delight, besides the endangering health,
if not life, by those colds, which at least cause rhumes
and coughs : wherefore I leave Winter and night ang-
ling, to such strong healthful bodies, whose extraordi-
nary delight in angling, or those whose necessity en-
forceth them to seek profit by their recreation, in such
unseasonable times.

3. When there happens any small frost, all that
day after the fish will not rise freely and kindly, ex-
cept in the evening, and that the same prove very plea-
sant.

4. If the wind be very high, so that you cannot
guide your tools to advantage.

5. When shepherds or countrymen wash their
sheep, though while they are washing, I mean the first

ANGLIVO IMPROVED. 49

time only, the fish will bite ext'eedinoly well; I suppose
the filth that falls from the sheep draws them, as like
baitin<r a place tog-ether, and then they so glut them-
selves, that till the whole washini»- time be over, and they
have di<rested their fulness ; they will not take any ar-
tificial baits.

6. Sharp, bitter, nipping winds, which most
usually blow out of the North or East especially, blast
your recreation ; but this is rather the season than the
wind, though I also judge those winds have a secret
malign quality to hinder the recreation,

7. After any sort of fish have spawned, they will
not bite any thing to pui-pose, until they have recovered
their strength and former appetite.

8. When any clouds arise, that will certainh
bring a shower or storm, though in the midst of Sum-
mer, they will not bite : I have observed, that though
the fish bite most eagerly, and to your heart's content,
yet upon the first appearing of any clouds, that will
certainly bring rain, though my own judgment could not
then apprehend, or in the least conjecture, that a storm
was arising, they have immediately left oflf biting; and
that has been all given me to understand that a shower
was coming, and that it was prudent to seek shelter
against the same.

50 ANGLING IMPROVED.

CHAP. IX.

THE BEST TIMES AND SEASONS TO ANGLE,

We now come to the affirmative part, which is the best
season to angle, that as before, we discovered when it
would be lost labour to seek recreation ; so now you may
learn to improve opportunity, when it offers itself to
best advantage.

1. Calm, clear, or which is better, cool cloudy
weather in Summer, the wind blowing gently, so as you
may guide your tools with ease; in the hottest months,
the cooler the better.

2. "WTien the floods have carried away all the filth
that the rain had washed from the higher grounds into
the river, and that the river keeps his usual bounds, and
appears of a whey colour.

3. When a sudden violent shower hath a little
mudded and raised the river, then if you go forth in, or
immediately after such a shower, and angle in the
stream at the ground, with a red worm chiefly ; if there
be store of fish in the river, you will have sport to your
own desire.

4. A little before any fish spawn, your own ob-
servation will inform you of the time, by the fulness of
their bellies, they come into the gravely, sandy fords, to
rub and loosen their bellies, and then they bite very
freely.

ANGLING IMPROVED. 51

5. Wlien rivers after rain do rise, yet so as that
they keep within their banks, in swift rivers the violence
of the stream forces the fish to seek shelter and quiet
ease; in the little and milder currents of small brooks,
where they fall into larg'er rivers, and behind the ends of
brido-es that are longer than the breadth of the river,
making* a low vacancy, where the bridge defends a small
spot of ground from the violence of the stream, or in
any low place near the river's side, where the fish may
lie at rest, and secure from the disturbance of the rapid
stream ; in such a place, not being very deep, and at
such a time, you will find sport : as regards myself, I
have ever found it equal to the best season.

6. For Carp and Tench early in the morning, from
sun rising, until eight of the clock, and from four after
noon, till night ; and from sun set, till far in the night
in the hot months.

7. In March, in the beginning of April, and at the
latter end of September, and all Winter, fish bite best
in the warmth of the day, when no winds are stirring,
and the air (juite clear. In Summer months, morning
and evening are best, or cool cloudy weather: if you
can find shelter, no matter how high the wind be.

8. Fish rise best at the fly, after a shower that has
not mudded the water, yet has beaten the gnats and flies
into the rivers ; you may in such a shower observe them
rise much, if you will endure the rain ; also the best
months for the fly, are March, April, May, and part of
June ; in the cooler months, in the warmest tmic of the
day J or in warm weather, about nine in the morning,

52 A\GLlx\G IMPROVED.

three in the afternoon, if any ecentle gale blow; some-
times in a warm evening, when the gnats play much.

9. Also after the river is cleared from a flood, they
rise exceeding well ; I conceive that being glutted witli
ground-baits, they now covet the fly, having wanted it a
time.

10. A Trout bites best ina muddy rising water, in
dark, cloudy, windy weather, early in the morning, from
half an hour after eight, till ten ; and in the afternoon,
from three, till after four, and sometimes in the even-
ing ; but about nine in the morning, and about three in
the afternoon, are his chief and most constant hours of
biting at ground or fly, as the water suits either;
March, April, ]\Iay, and part of June, are his chief
months, though he bites well in July, August and Sep-
tember. After a shower in the evening, he rises well
at gnats.

11. Salmon, at three in the afternoon, chiefly in
]\Iay, June, July, and August, with a clear water and
some wind. He bites best when the wind is blowing
against the stream, and near the sea.

12. Carp and Tench, morning and evening, very
early and late, June, July and August, or indeed in the
night.

13. AChevin, from sun rising or earlier, at snails
especially; for in the heat of the day he cares not for
them, in June and July till about eight, again at three
in the afternoon at ground, or fly; and his chief fly
which he most delights in, is a great Uioth, with a very
great head, not unlike to an u^^l, with whitish wings.

ANOLING IMPROVED. 53

and yellowish body, you may find them flyin"- abroad in
Summer evening's in gardens, when some wind is stir-
ring*, in larg-e rivers chiefly, streams or shade. He will
take a small lamprey, or seven-eyes, an eel-brood, either
of them about a straw's bigiiess.

14. Pike bites best at three in the afternoon, in a
clear water, accompanied by a gentle gale, in July,
August, September, and October.

15. Bream, from about sun rising, till eight, in a
muddy water, a good gale of wind ; and in ponds, the
higher the better, and where the waves are highest, and
nearer the middle of the pond, the better; from the end
of JMay, June, July especially, and August.

16. Roach and Dace all day long; best at the top,
at fly, or oak-worm principally, and at all other worms
bred on herbs or trees, palmers, caterpillars, &:c. in
plain rivers or ponds, under water-dock leaves, or under
shady trees.

1 7- Gudgeon from April, and till he have spawned
in May, and a little after that, till wasp time, and then
to the end of the year, all day long.

18. Fk)under ail day in April, May, June, and
Julv.

54 ANGLING IMPROVED.

CHAP. X.

GENERAL OBSERVATIONS.

1 . Let the Angler's apparel be sad dark colours, as sad
grey's, tawny, purple, hair, or musk colour.

2, Use shoe-maker's wax to your silk or thread,
with which you make or mend either rod or fly; it
holds firmer, and sticks better than any other.

3. Into such places as you use to ang'le at, once a
week at least, cast in all sorts of corn boiled soft, grains
washed in blood, blood dried and cut into pieces, snails,
worms chopped small, pieces of fowl, or beast's guts,
beast's livers ; for Carp and Tench you cannot feed too
often, or too much; this course draweth the fish to the
])lace you desire. And to keep them together, cast
about twenty grains of ground malt at a time, now and
then as you angle ; and indeed all sorts of baits are good
to cast in, especially whilst you are angling with that
bait, principally cad-bait, gentles, and wasps, and you
will find they will snap up yours more eagerly, and with
less suspicion; but by no means, when you angle in a
stream cast them in at your hook, but something above
where you angle, lest the stream carry them beyond
your hook, and so instead of drawing them to you, you
draw them from you.

ANGLING IMPROVED.

55

4. Destroy all beasts or birds that devour the fish
or their spann,* as the

• THE OTTER'S ORATION.

Why stand we beasts abasht, or spare to speake ?

Why make wee not a vertue of our need?

Me know by proofe, in wit wee are to weake,

And weaker much, because all Adams seed,

(Which beare away the waight of wit indeed)

Do dayly seeke our names for to distaine.

With slanderous blotte.for which we Beasts be slaine.

First of my selfe, before the rest to treate,
Most men cry out, that fishe I do deuoure,
Yea some will say, that Lambes (with niee) be meate:
I graunt to both, and he that hath the powre,
To feede on fish that sweeter were than sowre.
And hath yong flesh to banquet at his fill,
Were fonde to fraunche on garbage, graynes or swill.

But master Man, which findeth all this fault.
And streynes deuise for many a dayuty dishe,
Which suflfreth not that hunger him assault.
But feedes his fill on euery flesh and fishe.
Which must haue all, as much as witte can wish.
Us seely Beasts, deuouring Beasts do call.
And he himsefe, most bloody beaste of all.

Well yet me thinks, I heare him preach this Text,
How all that is, was made for vse of man:
So was it sure, but therewith followes next,
This heauy place, expound it who so can :
The very scourj;e and plague of God his Ban,

56 ANGLING IMPROVED.

&c. and endeavour, whether in authority or not, to see
all statutes put in execution, against such as use unlaw-

Will light on such as qneyntly can deuise,

To eat more ineate, then may thir moiUhes suffise.

Now master Man stand forth and here declare,
Who euer yet could see an Otter eate.
More uieate at once, then serued for his share?
Who sees vs beasts sitte bybbing in our seate
With sundry wynes, and sundry kindes of meate?
Which breede disease, yfostred in such feastes,
If men do so, be they not worse than boasts?

The beastly man, must sitte al day and quaflfe,
The Beaste indeede, doth drincke but twise a day,
The beastly man,n.ust stuffe his monstrous masse
With secrete cause of surfeiting alsvay ;
Where beasts be glad to feede when they get prey,
And neuer eate more than may do them good,
Where men be sicke, and surfet thorough foode.

Who sees a Beast, for sauery Sawces long?
Who sees a beast, or chicke or Capon cramme?
"Who sees a beast, once luld on sleepe with song?
Who sees a beast make venson of a Ramme?
Who sees a Beast destroy bothe whelpe and damme?
Who sees a Beast vse beastly Gluttonie ?
Which man doth vse, for great Ciuilytie.

I know not I, if dyuing be my fault,
Me thinks most men, can dine as well as I :
Some men can diue in Seller and in vault.
In Parlor, Hall, Kitchen and in Buttery
To smell the Roste, whereof the fume doth flee:
And as for games, men diue in every streame,
All frawdes be fishe, their stomacks neuer squeame.

So to conclude, when men their faults can mend,
And shunne the shame, where with they beasts do blot,
When men their time and treasure not mispend,
But follow grace, which is with paines ygot.
When men can vice rebuke, and vse it not:
Then shall they shine, like men of worthy fame.
And else, they be but Beasts well worthy blame.

Noble Art of Venerie, ICII. ito. pp. '201 "JOS.

ANGLING IMPROVED. 5/

ful nets, or means to take fish; especially bar-netting-
and ni^lit-hooking-.

5. Get your rods and tops without knots, they are
dangerous for breaking.

6. Keep your rod dry, lest it rot, and not near
the fire, lest it grow brittle.

7. In drought, wet your rod a little before you
begin to angle.

8. Lob-worms, dew-worms, and great garden
worms, all one.

9. When you angle at ground, or with the natu-
ral fly, your line must not exceed the length of your
rod. For the Trout at ground, it must be shorter, and
in some cases, not half the length as in small brooks or
woody rivers, either at ground, or with the natural fly.

10. When you have hooked a good fish, have an
especial care to keep your rod bent, lest he run to the
line, and break your hook, or his hold.

11. Such tops or stocks as you get, must not be
used till fully seasoned, which will not be in one year
and a quarter, but I like them better if kept till they be
two years old.

12. The first fish you take, cut up his belly, and
you may then see his stomach ; it is known by its large-
ness and place, lying from the gills to the small guts ;
take it out very tenderly, if you bruise it, your labour
and design are lost ; and with a sharp knife cut it open
without bruising, and then you may find his food in it,
and thereby discover what bait the fish at that instant

58 ANGLING IMPROVED.

takes best, either flies or ground-baits, and so suit
them accordingly.

13. Fish are frightened with any the least sight or
motion, therefore by all means keep out of sight, either
by sheltering yourself behind some bush or tree, or by
standing so far off the river's side, that you can see
nothing but your fly or float j to efl'ect this, a long rod
at ground, and a long line with the artificial fly, may be
of use to you. And here I meet with two different
opinions and practises, some will always cast their fly
and bait up the water, and so they say nothing occurs
to the fish's sight but the line; others fish down the
river, and so suppose, the rod and line being long, the
quantity of water takes away, or at least lessens the
fish's sight ; but others affirm, that rod and line, and
perhaps yourself, are seen also. In this diflerence of
opinions I shall only say, in small brooks you may angle
upwards, or else in great rivers you must wade, as I
have known some, who thereby got the sciatica, and I
woU'l not wish you to purchase pleasure at so dear a
rate ; besides, casting up the river you cannot keep your
line out of the water, which has been noted for a fault
before 5 and they that use this way confess, that if in
casting your fly, the line fall into the water before it, the
fly were better uncast, because it frightens the fish ;
then certainly it must do it this way, whether the fly fall
first or not, the line must first come to the fish, or fall
on him, which undoubtedly will frighten him: my
opinion is, therefore, that you angle down the river, for

ANGLING IMPROVED.

59

the other way you traverse twice so much, aucl beat not
so much ground as downwards.

14. Keep the sun, and moon, if night, before you,
if your eyes will endure, wliich I much (juestion, at
least be sure to have those planets on your side, for if
they be on your back, your rod will witli its sha(k)w of-
fend much, and the fish see further and clearer, when
they look towards those lights, than the contrary; as
you may experiment thus in a dark night, if a man come
betwixt you and any light, you see him clearly, but not
at all if the light come betwixt you and him.

15. When you angle for the Trout, you need not
make above three or four trials in one place, eitlier with
fly or ground-bait, for he will then either take it, or
make an offer, or not stir at all, and so you lose time t(»
stay there any longer.

Pearch bites exceedingly well at all sorts of
earth-worms, especially lob-worms, brandlings, bobs,
oak-worms, gentles, cad-bait, wasps, dores, minnows,
cohvort-worm,and often at almost any bait, save the fly.

He bites well all day long m seasonable weather,
but chiefly from eight in the morning till after ten, and
from a little before three in the afternoon till almost five.

60

ANGLING IMPROVED.

16. A Chevin loves to have several flies, and of
divers sorts, on the hook at once, and several baits also
at once on the hook, as a wasp and colwort-worm, or an
old wasp, and young dore, or humble, when his wings
and legs are grown forth, or a fly and cad-worm, or
oak-worm .

1 7- Take for a Trout, two lob-worms well scour-
ed, cut them into two equal halves, put them on your
hook ; this is an excellent bait.

In a muddy water, a Trout will not take a cad-
bait, you must therefore only use it in clear water.

If you desire to angle in a very swift stream, and
have your bait rest in one place, and yet not over bur-
then your line with lead; take a small pistol bullet,
make a hole through it, wider at each side than the
middle, yet so open in every place, as that the line may
easily pass through it without any stop ; place a very
small piece of lead on your line, that may keep this
bullet from falling nearer the hook than that piece of
lead, and if your float be made large enough to l)ear
above water, against the force of the stream, the fish
will, when they bite, run away with the bait as securely.

ANGLING IMPROVED. 61

as if there were no more weight upon your line, than the
little piece of lead, because the hole in the bullet gives
passage to the line, as if it were not there.

18. When cattle in Summer come into the fords,
their dung- draws the fish to the lower end of the ford ;
at such time angle for a Chevin, with baits fit for him,
and you will have sport.

19. Before you set your hook to your line, arm
the line by turning- the silk five or six times about the
link, and so with the same silk set on your hook; this
preserves your lines, that your hook cut it not asunder,
and also that it will not, when using- the cast fly, snap
off so easily, which it is very subject to do.

20. In very wet seasons Trouts leave the rivers
and larg-er brooks, and retreat into such little brooks as
scarce run at all in dry Summers.

21. To all sorts of pastes, add flax, cotton, or
wool, to keep the paste from falling off your hook.

22. Deny not part of what your endeavours shall
purchase unto any sick or indigent persons, but willing-
ly distribute a part of your purchase to those who may-
desire a share,

23. Make not a profession of any recreation, lest
your immoderate love towards it should bring a cross
wish on the same.

S- Joliuson, Printer, Brook Street, floVo'jrii, Lontoo.

«r

SS^ ^T.

Amk.