Which come from the Scots and Wild Irish are much heavier than those we have here in France.

 

Chapter 19.

What is the Cause that Harts hide themselves when they have mewed.

Harts hide themselves when they have mewed for divers reasons. 

First, because they are lean and weak, by reason of the winter past, having no force to defend themselves. And also because they begin then to find feeding, and they take their ease to restore their flesh and force. 

Another reason is they have lost their weapons of defence, the which be their heads; and dare not show themselves as well for fear of other beasts, as also for shame they have lost their strength and beauty. 

And also you shall, see by experience, if - in a cornfield or pasture where a Hart feeds after he has mewed - there be any Pyes or Jays, or such birds which chatter at them and discover them, they will straight away return unto their thicket to hide themselves for the shame and fear they have. 

You shall understand they will not leave their thicket - unless men do stir and remove them - until the end of August, when they begin to wax hot, and to hunt after the Hinds. When the Harts are in court, perceive their heads do begin to dry - which is about the xxij. of July - then they discover themselves, going unto the trees to fray their heads to rub off the velvet. When they have frayed their heads, they burnish their heads, some against coal heaps, some against metal places, some in clay and other commodious things and places to do it in. 

Some bear red heads, some black and some white, all which colourings proceed of nature and of none other thing; for it should be very hard for the dust or powder of coals, or any such like thing to give them colour. The red heads are commonly fuller of marrow and lighter; the black heads are heavier, and have not so much marrow in them. The white are the very worst, and the worst nourished. 

All this I have known by experience of crossbow makers and makers of harquebuses, who put it often in their work, who have told me the least black heads which come from the Scots or Wild Irish - whereof men bring great number to Rochelle to sell - are much heavier than those we have here in France, for they have not so much marrow in them, although there is a forest in Poitou call the Forest of Mereuant, in which the Harts bear small black heads which have but little marrow in them, and are almost like to them of Ireland. There is another forest about four leagues from thence called Chyssay, in the which the Harts bear heads clean contrary, for they are great, red and full of marrow, and are very light when they are dry. 

All these things I have thought good here to allege, to let you know that Harts bear their heads according to the pasture and feed of the country where they are bred, for the Forest of Mereuant is altogether in mountains, vales and caves, where their feed is dry, lean and of small substance; on that other side, the Forest of Chyssay is in a plain country, environed with all good pasture and corn-grounds, as wheat, pease and such whereupon they take good nouriture, which is the cause their heads become so fair and well spread. 

Chapter 20.

Of the Coats and Colour of Harts.

Harts are of three sundry sorts of colour; that is to say, brown, fallow and red. Of any of these coats, there proceeds two sorts of Harts. The one is great, and the other is little. 

First, of the Brown Harts there be some great, long and side-haired, which bear a very high head, red of colour, fair and well-beamed, which stand up long before hounds; for all long-shaped Harts have longer breath and are swifter of body than the short-proportioned are. The other kind of Brown Harts are little, thick-set and short, which bear commonly a black mane, and become fatter venison, and more delicate than the others, because they more commonly keep in young springs and copses than in the high woods. These kinds of Harts are crafy, hiding themselves, because when they are in grease, they doubt to be found, for as much as their body will not endure to stand long before the hounds. So make they their feed very short, and bear their heads low and wide in sunder; and if they be old and feed in good ground, then are their heads black, fair and well-branched, and commonly palmed at the top. 

The other Harts which are of a fallow coat bear their heads high and white of colour, whereof the beams are very small, and the antlers long, slender and ill-grown, principally of that sort of fallow which draw upon the whitish dun hair. So also have they neither heart, courage nor forte, but those which are of a lively red fallow, which have lightly a little black or brown list upon the ridge of their back, and their legs of the same colour, being long and side, be very strong , bearing fair and high heads well-furnished and beamed, having all the other marks or tokens I will hereafter declare. 

The Harts which are of a lively red hair are commonly young Harts. That sort of coated Harts should not greatly rejoyce the huntsman on horseback, because they stand up long, and are of very good breath.