按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
Coridon。 Well； then； I will begin； for I hate contention
Coridon's song。
Oh the sweet contentment The countryman doth find！ Heigh trolollie lollie foe； Heigh trolollie lee。 That quiet contemplation Possesseth all my mind： Then care away And wend along with me。
For Courts are full of flattery； As hath too oft been tried Heigh trolollie lollie foe； etc。； The city full of wantonness； And both are full of pride： Then care away； etc。
But oh； the honest countryman Speaks truly from his heart Heigh trolollie lollie foe； etc。 His pride is in his tillage； His horses； and his cart： Then care away； etc。
Our cloathing is good sheep…skins Grey russet for our wives Heigh trolollie lollie loe； etc。 'Tis warmth and not gay cloathing That doth prolong our lives： Then care away； etc。
The ploughman； tho' he labour hard； Yet on the holy…day Heigh trolollie lollie foe； etc。 No emperor so merrily Does pass his time away： Then care away； etc。
To recompense our tillage； The heavens afford us showers Heigh trolollie lollie foe； etc。 And for our sweet refreshment。 The earth affords us bowers： Then care away； etc。
The cuckow and the nightingale Full merrily do sing； Heigh trolollie lollie foe； etc。 And with their pleasant roundelays Bid welcome to the spring： Then care away； etc。
This is not half the happiness The countryman enjoys Heigh trolollie lollie foe； etc。； Though others think they have as much； Yet he that says so lies： Then come away； Turn countrymen with me。
Jo。 Chalkhill。；
Piscator。 Well sung； Coridon； this song was sung with mettle； and it was choicely fitted to the occasion： I shall love you for it as long as I know you。 I would you were a brother of the angle； for a companion that is cheerful； and free from swearing and scurrilous discourse； is worth gold。 I love such mirth as does not make friends ashamed to look upon one another next morning； nor men； that cannot well bear it； to repent the money they spend when they be warmed with drink。 And take this for a rule： you may pick out such times and such companies； that you make yourselves merrier for a little than a great deal of money； for 〃'Tis the company and not the charge that makes the feast 〃； and such a companion you prove： I thank you for it
But I will not compliment you out of the debt that I owe you； and therefore I will begin my song； and wish it may be so well liked。
The Angler's song。
As inward love breeds outward talk The hound some praise； and some the hawk Some； better pleas'd with private sport Use tennis； some a mistress court： But these delights I neither wish Nor envy； while I freely fish。
Who hunts； doth oft in danger ride； Who hawks； lures oft both far and wide Who uses games shall often prove A loser； but who falls in love； Is fetter'd in fond Cupid's snare： My angle breeds me no such care。
Of recreation there is none So free as fishing is alone； All other pastimes do no less Than mind and body both possess： My hand alone my work can do； So I can fish and study too。
I care not； I； to fish in seas； Fresh rivers best my mind do please； Whose sweet calm course I contemplate； And seek in life to imitate： In civil bounds I fain would keep； And for my past offences weep。
And when the timorous Trout I wait To take； and he devours my bait； How poor a thing； sometimes I find； Will captivate a greedy mind： And when none bite； I praise the wise Whom vain allurements ne'er surprise。
But yet； though while I fish； I fast； I make good fortune my repast； And 〃hereunto my friend invite； In whom I more than that delight： Who is more welcome to my dish Than to my angle was my fish。
As well content no prize to take； As use of taken prize to make： For so our Lord was pleased； when He fishers made fishers of men； Where； which is in no other game； A man may fish and praise his name。
The first men that our Saviour dear Did choose to wait upon him here； Blest fishers were； and fish the last Food was that he on earth did taste： I therefore strive to follow those Whom he to follow him hath chose。
W。 B。
Coridon。 Well sung； brother； you have paid your debt in good coin。 We anglers are all beholden to the good man that made this song： come； hostess； give us more ale； and let's drink to him。 And now let's every one go to bed； that we may rise early： but first let's pay our reckoning； for I will have nothing to hinder me in the morning； for my purpose is to prevent the sun…rising。
Peter。 A match。 Come； Coridon； you are to be my bed…fellow。 I know； brother； you and your scholar will lie together。 But where shall we meet to…morrow night？ for my friend Coridon and I will go up the water towards Ware。
Piscator。 And my scholar and I will go down towards Waltham。
Coridon。 Then let's meet here； for here are fresh sheets that smell of lavender； and I am sure we cannot expect better meat； or better usage in any place。
Peter。 'Tis a match。 Good…night to everybody。
Piscator。 And so say I。
Venator。 And so say I。
The fourth day
Piscator。 Good…morrow； good hostess； I see my brother Peter is still in bed。 Come； give my scholar and me a morning drink； and a bit of meat to breakfast： and be sure to get a dish of meat or two against supper； for we shall come home as hungry as hawks。 Come； scholar； let's be going。
Venator。 Well now； good master； as we walk towards the river； give me direction； according to your promise； how I shall fish for a Trout。
Piscator。 My honest scholar； I will take this very convenient opportunity to do it。
The Trout is usually caught with a worm； or a minnow； which some call a peek； or with a fly； viz。 either a natural or an artificial fly： concerning which three； I will give you some observations and directions。
And； first； for worms。 Of these there be very many sorts： some breed only in the earth； as the earth…worm； others of； or amongst plants； as the dug…worm； and others breed either out of excrements； or in the bodies of living creatures； as in the horns of sheep or deer； or some of dead flesh； as the maggot or gentle； and others。
Now these be most of them particularly good for particular fishes。 But for the Trout； the dew…worm； which some also call the lob…worm； and the brandling； are the chief； and especially the first for a great Trout； and the latter for a less。 There be also of lob…worms； some called squirrel…tails； a worm that has a red head； a streak down the back； and a broad tail； which are noted to be the best； because they are the toughest and most lively； and live longest in the water； for you are to know that a dead worm is but a dead bait； and like to catch nothing； compared to a lively； quick； stirring worm。 And for a brandling； he is usually found in an old dunghill； or some very rotten place near to it； but most usually in cow…dung； or hog's…dung； rather than horse…dung； which is somewhat too hot and dry for that worm。 But the best of them are to be found in the bark of the tanners； which they cast up in heaps after they have used it about their leather。
There are also divers other kinds of worms； which； for colour and shape； alter even as the ground out of which they are got； as the marsh… worm； the tag…tail； the flag…worm； the dock…worm； the oak…worm； the gilt…tail； the twachel or lob…worm； which of all others is the most excellent bait for a salmon； and too many to name； even as many sorts as some think there be of several herbs or shrubs； or of several kinds of birds in the air： of which I shall say no more； but tell you； that what worms soever you fish with； are the better for being well scoured； that is； long kept before they be used： and in case you have not been so provident； then the way to cleanse and scour them quickly； is； to put them all night in water； if they be lob…worms； and then put them into your bag with fennel。 But you must not put your brandlings above an hour in water； and then put them into fennel； for sudden use： but if you have time； and purpose to keep them long； then they be best preserved in an earthen pot； with good store of moss； which is to be fresh every three or four days in summer； and every week or eight days in winter； or； at least； the moss taken from them； and clean washed； and wrung betwixt your hands till it be dry； and then put it to them again。 And when your worms； especially the brandling； begins to be sick and lose of his bigness； then you may recover him； by putting a little milk or cream； about a spoonful in a day； into them； by drops on the moss； and if there be added to the cream an egg beaten and boiled in it； then it will both fatten and preserve them long。 And note； that when the knot； which is near to the middle of the brandling； begins to swell； then he is sick； and； if he be not well looked to； is near dying。 And for moss； you are to note； that there be divers kinds of it； which I could name to you； but I will only tell you that that which is likest a buck's…horn is the best； except it be soft white moss； which grows on some heaths； and is hard to be found。 And note； that in a very dry time； when you are put to an extremity for worms； walnut…tree leaves squeezed into water； or salt in water； to make it bitter or salt； and then that water poured on the ground where you shall see worms are used to rise in the nigh