The Huntsman must be stirring early.

 How the Huntsman should seek in the Springs or Feed, to find a Hart by the Eye.

The huntsman ought to look overnight in what coast the Deer go to feed, and if it be in a spring, let him mark which way he may best come in the morning upon a clear wind. Also let him chose some standing in some tree on the border of the spring, from the which he may behold easily all things that feed therein.

In the morning, let him rise two hours before day, and go to the covert, and when he is come near to the Deer's harborough, he should leave his hound in some house, or if he have a boy with him, he may leave his hound with the boy, and place him somewhere he may quickly find him again if he have need of him. Let him go to his tree, which he marked overnight, and let him espy a Hart which like him; let him mark what head he bears, and let him not stir from thence until he see him go to harborough.

Afterwards, when he sees he is in the thick, he must mark the place whereabouts he entered by some little pretty tree or such like thing; that being done, he shall come down and go fetch his hound. But here he shall mark one secret; that he go not about to harbour a Hart an hour at least after he see him go to lair, because sometimes a Hart goes to lair at the border of the thicket, or else will come back thither to harken or see if anything there might annoy them, as I have said before, and therefore he huntsman should not go so soon. 

Furthermore, if in casting about the covert, he hear either Pies, Jays or such birds wondering, let him withdraw and stand close, for that is a token the Hart is yet on foot, and let him stay half an hour longer before he make his ringwalk. When he has well and surely harboured, he may go back to the assembly and make report thererof, and decypher the Hart's head he has seen, with all other good marks and tokens. If he has taken up any of the fumet, he should put them in his horn and bring them also to the assembly. 

How the Huntsman should go to seek a Hart in Small Groves or Hewts, being privily enclosed within the Greater Springs in the Forests and Strong Coverts.

Oftentimes the crafty Deer, which has been in times past run and chased with hounds, do keep long time close, and come not out of the strongholds and thickets, and feed in small privy groves and hewts, which have been lately felled with the greater coverts; thus they do most commonly in May and June rather than in any other season of the year, for as much as in those months they go not much in the water, but content themselves with the moisture of the dew and the earth, the which suffices them. But in July and August, when the wood hardens and the heat is vehement, they must needs discover themselves and come out of their holds to go unto the water. 

Nevertheless, in what season soever it be, they cannot hide themselves about four days, but they must come out of the thickets, and for sundry causes, whereof one is they hope to find safeguard; for if they should be hunted they would flee among them for change, so the hounds might be deceived, or else sometimes they come forth to go to their feed. When they do so, they retire into their holds two or three hours before day; to prevent such crafty and subtle Deer, the huntsman must use this manner: first, when he is in a fair thicket or covert at the end of a forest, and chances to find the slot of a Hart, being old trodden, as a day or two before, and the ground is much broken with such old tracks, he must cast and beat all the outsides. And if perchance he neither find him to have gone out nor in, either lately or of old, may he well think he goes not out, and he hides and conceals himself within the thick.

Let him get him under the wind, and let him go into the thicket, holding his hound short, creeping as secretly as he can; and if he perceive his hound have anything in wind, and by his countenance and gesture it should be like he is not far from the Hart. Let him withdraw and retire himself for fear lest he rouse him, and let him go in at some other side of the wood where it is not so thick. If he chance to find any little hewts or springs privily copsed within the thicket, where the Hart may feed by night; he may search it fair and well, and take up the fumishings which he finds. 

But here must you note one thing; he may not go into such places until it be nine of the clock in the morning, because such Harts sometimes take harborough or lair within those little copses to enjoy the comfort of the Sun, and about nine of the clock they withdraw themselves to the shadow for two principal reasons, whereof one is for fear of the flies and horseflies which would torment him if he were abroad; the other, for to avoid the vehement heat of the Sun which would be at noonday. 

The huntsman must take good heed he enter not over fast into the thick, for such Harts sometimes take lair very near those privy copses, because they are neither feared nor stirred; but is suffices for them if they be only in covert. Also, in such springs they come out to feed immediately after six of the clock in the evening; therefore, let the huntsman be content to have seen the slot fresh, and to have taken up the famishing. Afterwards, let him retire himself as secretly as he can, and never tarry to see or mark the entries, but carry his hound in his arms with him. When he is far enough from thence, let him counterfeit the shepherd, or whistle some pipe, lest the Hart have gotten him in the wind and so rouse, for if he sing or whistle, he shall embolden him again.

Afterwards, he may rest half an hour or more in some place by, to the end that the Hart may be the better assured, and then let him cast about and make his ring. And if perchance he cannot find any fumishing, and the place be so thick of grass he cannot well see the slot, let him kneel down, looking upon the foyles and tracks in the leaves and grass; if they be well strained, let him clap his hand upon the slot, and if he find it be four fingers broad, may he judge him a Hart of Ten by the foyles, but if he be but three fingers broad, he shall judge it a young Hart. 

How the Huntsman should seek a Hart in his Feeds.

Here you must understand there is difference between springs or copses, and other feeding places; for we call all pastures, fields or gardens wherein all sorts of corn and potherbs grow 'feedings'. When a Hart goes to feed in such, we say he has been at his feed; the huntsman must be stirring early to go seek the Hart in such places, for as much as the good people of the villages which are about such places rise by the break of day to turn their cattle on field. Therefore, the Harts withdraw themselves betimes into their thicket, and also the Kine, Goats, Sheep and such beasts will break the slot or view where the Hart shall have passed, the which would be an occasion the huntsman could not perceive it, neither yet his hound could have scent thereof. Therefore, let him in such place be stirring very early.