The flesh of man is so delicate and toothsome, when they have once tasted of it, they care for no other meat.

 

Of the Hunting of the Wolf, and first of their Nature and Properties.

The Wolf is a beast sufficiently known in France and other countries where he is bred, but here in England they be not to be found in any place. In Ireland - as I have heard - there are great store of them, and because many Noblemen and Gentlemen have a desire to bring that country to be inhabited and civilly governed - and would God there were more of the same mind - therefore, I have thought good to set down the nature and manner of hunting the Wolf according to mine author. 

The Wolf - says he - goes a-clycketing in February, in such sort as a dog lines a birth when she goes sault, wherein they abide ten or twelve days. Many Wolves - where store be - follow one She-Wolf, even as dogs follow a bitch, but she will never be lined but only with one. She will suffer many to follow her, and will carry them after her sometimes eight or ten days without meat, drink or rest, and when they are ouverwearied, she suffers them all to take their ease until they root and be fast asleep; then will she awake the Wolf which seems most to have followed her, and that oftentimes is the foulest and worst favoured, because he is overwearied and lankest. Him will she awake and entice him away with her far from the rest, and suffer him to line her.

There is a common proverb which says, Never Wolf yet saw his sire, for indeed it happens most commonly when all the rest of the Wolves awake and miss the female, they follow them by the scent, and finding them oftentimes together, they fall upon that Wolf and kill him for spite. But if ther be no greater store than one Dog-Wolf and one Bitch in a place, this proverb fails; yea, or sometimes also the rest of the Wolves are so long ere they awake and follow, they cannot so quickly dispatch or kill him according to their desire, and then also it fails. Their whelps are able to engender within twelve months, and whether their whelps be a year old, then they part from their sire and from their dame; yea, sometimes sooner, but not before their teeth be cast and shot out again, for they cast teeth first when they are half year old, and when they are come up again, they never cast more all their lifetime.Them they depart from their dame when those teeth are come out again and grown hard, and they chance to meet their sire or dame at any time after, they will fawn upon them and lick them, and seem in their kind greatly to rejoice. A good example for sundry evil disposed children, which become ungrateful to their parents, which bring them up carefully. Since the brute beast can teach them their duty, only by the instinct and motions of nature. 

Also, when a Dog and a Bitch of them company once together, they will not lightly part in sunder, for though they prey in divers places, yet at night they will meet again, or at the least once in two days, if it be possible, and they bear meat unto their whelps together; but the Dog will first eat his fill, and then carry the rest unto his whelps, but the Bitch bears from her and the whelps, and feed his fill thereon first. After he will leave the rest for them to feed on, if there be any, and if there be not, let them starve for him if they will, so that he makes not account of anything, until his belly be full, but the Bitch oftentimes beguile him. She leaves the prey far from their den, and if she perceive the Dog be gone, then brings she it to her whelps; but if the Dog be there and perceive she has brought nothing, he smells to her mouth and her lips. If she have nothing indeed, then he beats her, but if he smell by her that she had preyed, he constrains her to show it unto him, or else hunts back himself by the counter of her footing, and so finds it out. 

Some hold opinion that the Bitch washes herself all over, because the Dog should not smell whether she have preyed or not, but that I dare not swear on a book.

Some heavy Wolves will never help their Bitches to feed their whelps, but if it be in a place where there are no store of Wolves, as no more but he and his make, then he knows by the smell that the whelps are his, and helps the Bitch to prey for them, and to feed them, but uncoureously as I said before. Wolves are fattest when they have small whelps, for they feed not only upon their own provision, but also upon that which their make and their whelps should eat also; they go nine weeks with whelp, and sometimes three or four days longer, and go sault but once in a year. 

Some hold opinion that a bitch will not have young whelps nor engender as long as her own dame is alive. They have whelps in all respects like unto our dogs, sometimes more and sometime less. For doubtless both the Fox and the Wolf are but a kind of wild Mastiffs and wild Curs; they be of great force especially in their foreparts, they bite sore and dangerously, for sometimes they will kill a Cow or a Bullock, and they will roundly carry a Sheep, a Goat, or a good Porkine in their mouth, and never touch the ground with it, and will run so fast away with it, that unless horsemen or Mastiff dogs do stay them, they will hardly be overtaken, either by the Herdsman or by another creature. 

They prey upon all kind of things, and will feed upon any carrion or any vermin. 

They live not long nor above xij or xiiij years at most. 

When he has feed upon any vermin or serpent - as he does often - then runs he wonderfully fast. In such sort I have seen a Wolf - being empty - outrun four or five brace of the best Greyhounds that might be found, for there is no beast which runs faster than he, and he holds marvellously also, when he is hunted with hounds, he flies not far before them; and unless he be coursed with Greyhounds or Mastiffs, he keeps the covert like a Boar or a Bear, and especially the beaten ways therein.

Most commonly, he preys by night, but sometimes also by day when he is hungry; some Wolves will pray upon Deer, Goats and Swine, and scent as freshly and as tenderly as a hound. Some also will eat a dog if they catch him, and some of them kill children and men sometimes, and then they never feed nor prey upon any other thing afterwards, when they have been fleshed and nousled therein, but die sometimes for hunger. Such Wolves are called Warwolves, because a man had need to beware them, they be so crafty when they assail a man; they fly upon him, and lay hold of him before he perceive them, but if they perceive them first, they assail him so subtle that he shall hardly escape their teeth, and can amrvellously defend themselves from any weapon that a man has for his defence.

There are two causes which make them set upon mankind. One is that when they be old and feeble, and their teeth begin to fail them, then can they not carry their prey as they were wont, so that they learn with more ease to prey first upon children which they meet or espy, which prey can neither make resistance nor is needful to carry far; therewithal the skin and flesh is much more tender and delicate than the skin and flesh of any other prey. Another reason is that in countries where war is made, and where battles and skirmishes are given, there they feed upon the dead carcases of men which lie slain in the field, aslso in other places upon such as hang on the gibbets and trees beign executed by justice. 

The flesh of man is so delicate and toothsome, when they have once tasted of it, they care for no other meat. I have seen a Wolf forsake the fold, and kill the Herdsman. 

They are more crafty - if more may be - than the Fox or any other beast; when they are hunted they will take all their advantages, at other times they will never run over hastily, but keep themselves in breath and force always. They have always need thereof, for there pass few days but that they are coursed or cried at by as many as see them, in the countries where they haunt. A Wolf will stand up a whole day before a good kennel of hounds, unless the Greyhounds course him. Most commonly, he is taken in some village or hamlet, he will seldom stand at bay, unless it be when he cannot longer endure, and then he becomes mad. The biting of a Wolf will hardly be healed as I have before said, for their biting is venomous and rankles sore. And again, because they are oftentimes mad, and there is no cure for their biting, when they have overfed themselves or are sick in their body; they eat grass as a dog does, they can well abide hunger at some times, for a Wolf may bide without meat six or seven days, but then would be  to prey that he next meets. 

The Bitch Wolf will never lightly part far from her whelps when they be young, for fear lest she should lose them. 

When a Wolff finds a litter of Pigs or a flock of Sheep, he will - by his will - kill them all before he feed upon any of them. 

They are hunted at force, taken with Greyhounds or Mastiffs, and hanged in gins and snares. But it had need to be a strong snare that should hold them, unless help come in the sooner. They are also killed in ditches where they pass with needles, venomous powders and divers such other things which men lay in baits for them. 

When the herds and Sheep come down from the mountains to graze and feed in the valleys, then they descend also to seek their prey. They follow a camp commonly, to feed on the carrion of horses and such other beasts as men leave behind them. 

They bark and howl like unto dogs, and if there be two of them together they make such a terrible noise that you would think there were xx of them; this do they most commonly when it is fair weather, or when they are young and not past a year old, or that they be trained to any place for to hunt afterwards, and surely when they be so trained, they will hardly abide where they feed, and especially old Wolves, if it be at the first time they have been trained. If they once have been accustomed to it, they they will abide the better.

Some of them be so crafty, that when they prey by night, they will fly a mile or two from thence before day, especially if it be in a place where they have been hunted or stirred, or that they find some train of flesh made for them. 

They cry not at all when they are killed, as our dogs do, but in divers other properties they resemble a dog. It is hard or almost impossible to keep or bring up a Wolf so young, or so fast tied in subjection, or so corrected and kept in awe, but that it will do some mischief at any time that if get liberty and find mean to do so; and the tamest that ever was yet would - if it were led abroad - look this way and that way, to espy somewhat it might be doing withal. For both a Wolf is doubtful that men mean harm unto him, and again he knows well in his own conscience he does many shrewd turns, and that therefore men hunt and pursue him; but for all that he will never leave his malicious nature. 

It is written that the right forefoot of a Wolf is medicinable for the swelling in the throat, and for the inflammation of the liver. Their skins are excellent fur, and durable. 

How to Hunt them.

When a Huntsman would hunt the Wolf, he must train them by these means.

First, let him look out some fair place a mile or more from the great woods, where there be some close standing to place a brace of good Greyhounds, if need be, the which should be close environed, and some pond or water by it. There shall he kill a horse or some other great beast, and take the four legs thereof and carry them into the woods and forests adjoining. 

Let the four goodfellows take every man a leg of the beast, and draw it at his horse's tail all along the paths and ways in the woods, until they come back again unto the place where the dead beast lies; there, let them lay down their trains.

When the Wolves go out in the night to pray and to feed, they will cross upon the train and follow it until they come at the dead carrion; there, they will feed their fill. 

Let the Huntsman, about the break of day, go thither, and leave his horse a good way underneath the wind, and come fair and softly to the place to espy if there be any Wolves feeding. If there be, he may retire and stir them not, and never look how much or how little they have fed, for it is sufficient if the Huntsman see them, since they are so crafty and subtle as I have beforesaid. Let him climb into some tree there by, and look which way the Wolf goes, and where it is likely he will lie, for as I have said, they will not lightly tarry where they feed, but rather will be gone very early in the grey morning; for whether they came late or early, or whether they would lie in the Sun rather than in the covert, or they would void and empty their bellies, or whether it be so they have been lately stirred and hunted, I counsel the Huntsman to be gone betimes, and so shall he be sure to see certainly. If he cannot see them, let him look upon the carrion whether they have been at it or not, and how many he guesses have been at it, according to the places he shall see gnawn or fed upon. Then, let him return to his Lord or Master, and make report accordingly.

Let him mark and look in the ways which are about the next covert, or the covert they are gone into, whether they be there entered or passed on further. If his hound will stick willingly upon the track of a Wolf, and will challenge it, he may cast about the covert and come not within any part thereof, and so shall he be best assured whether they be there stayed or not, for his hound will vent it out still as he goes. Therewithal, let him mark and judge whether they all keep company still together or not, for many times some one will abide, and all the rest will be gone; but those which be full most willingly tarry always, and when they fed not their fill the day before, they tarry longer than such as fed their fill overnight, or young Wolves, or such other, for an old Wolf is so doubtful and so full of mistrust that he will seldom abide were he feeds. 

Therefore, it were no bad policy to leave but little meat at the place whereunto you train, and to leave hard by the place some weak beast tied, so it can neither stray away nor make defence. When the Wolves come and find but little carrion at the place, to satisfy their hunger, they will fall upon that beast and devour it; which if they do not the first night, they will surely do it the next night, if you observe that order. By that means, they will feed their fill and rather abide and tarry by it or near unto it, for they are gluttons, and desirous to keep the remnant of their prey, when theyhave killed a beast and leave any of it. 

When the Huntsman shall by these means have been assured of their feeding two nights together, then may he make preparation to hunt them on the third day; or if they fail to come unto the train the first or second day, then let him send out Varlets to train from about all the coverts adjoining unto the same place, and so doing, he cannot miss but draw Wolves thither once within two or three nights, unless it be in February. In that month, they make small account of any train, by reason of their heat in following the sault bitches.

Sometimes also, a Wolf will follow the train even until they come at the carrion, and yet when they come there will go their ways, and not feed upon it. In such a case, the Huntsman shall change his train and carrion; if it were horseflesh or beef, let him make if of sheep's or goat's flesh, or the flesh of an ass - which Wolves love exceedingly - or of hog's flesh. Otherwise, he should not be able to know whether there be any wolves near unto the place where he trained or not; and if he doubt thereof, then shall he fain a voice, and call or bark and howl like a Wolf. If there be any Wolves in the whole covert within the hearing, they will answer him.

Again, if the they come to the carrion, and feed not in two or three nights one after another, or they feed and go their ways, and tarry not in any covert near adjoining, let him overnight hang up the carrion in some trees so high they cannot come by it, and yet leave some bones upon the ground, to the end they may gnaw upon them. Let him tarry in the wood until it be, as it were, an hour before day, and let him leave by the carrion the garments of some shepherd or herdsman, that the Wolves may have no mistrust of him where he stands. 

When it is not passing half an hour or little more before day, let him put down the carrion and go his ways. Then, the Wolf coming to it and having not fed all the night before, will feed hungerly, and through their gluttony will forget themselves and abide until it be far forth days, and so go to kennel in the coverts adjoining; for they will be so hungry to feed, and they shall have so small time to satisfy their hunger that they will be constrained to abide. But because commonly Lords and Noblemen do not rise so arly as to see these pastimes and policies, therefore I think meet when he has beaten down the flesh as beforesaid, he cause some goodfellows to go and to make fires between them and the last coverts the Wolves fled unto, and let the fires be not passing a bowshot, or not so much one from another; and at every fire, let some one or two of the company stand talking and laughing one with another. When the Wolves shall hear that, they shall be constrained - by reason that the daylight is now come upon them - to abide there in the covert hard by the carrion.

In meanwhile, the Lord or Gentleman shall be come and may hunt them at his pleasure, and that shall he order thus.

First, let him regard which way will be the fairest course for Greyhounds, and place them accordingly, and as near as he can let him forestall with his Greyhounds the same way the Wolves did fly the nights before if the ground serve to course on; unless the wind be contrary, for then it were but folly to set them that way, otherways the Wolf will rather come that way than any other way.If the wind serve not that way, then let him set his Greyhounds in the fairest place to course in upon a good wind; and let him set his Greyhounds in ranks as near one to another as the number of his Greyhounds to stand close.

That being so appointed, let him set the hewers all round about the covert where the Wolves lie, to hew and make noise on every side but only that where the Greyhounds stand. If his own servants and company be not sufficient, he may do well to assemble the neighbours which dwell near by, who will be glad to help him, because the Wolves do them such great harms and damages. Let all those people stand as thick as they can all about the covert, but only on that side where the Greyhounds are set, talking and walking one to another, and making all the noise they can devise to force them unto the Greyhounds. The, let the Huntsman go with his Lyamhounds and draw from the carrion unto the thickest side, where the Wolves have gone in; and there the hunt shall cast off the third part of their best hounds, for a Wolf will sometimes hold a covert long time before he come out. 

The Huntsmen must hold near in to their hounds, blowing hard and encouraging them with the voice, for may hounds will strain courtesy at this chase, although they be lusty and arrant at all other chases. When the Wolf comes to the Greyhounds, they who hold them shall do well to suffer the Wolf to pass by the first rank, until he be come unto the second rank or further, and let the last rank let slip their Greyhounds full in the face of the Wolf. At the same instant, let all the other ranks let slip also, so that the first rank staying him never so little, he may be assailed on all sides at once; and by that means, they shall the more easily take him. 

It is best entering hounds at young Wolves which are not yet passing half a year or a year old, for a hound will hunt such more willingly and with less dread they will hunt an old Wolf; likewise, the young Wolves can neither make so good defence, nor yet use such policies and subtleties as the old Wolf will. 

Or it shall be good to take Wolves alive in engines, and then break their teeth and enter your hounds at them. When the Wolf is dead, you shall make the reward thus: first, let the hounds and Greyhounds, but especially the hounds run in and all to bite and musle the dead Wolf; let the hunt open his belly all along and take out all his bowels, then let him take a sheep or a porkine and kill it, and strip off the skin quickly, and cut it all to gobbets, putting it into the body of the Wolf, and there let the hounds and Greyhounds take it out. For default of a sheep or such hot meat, let him take bread, cheese and suchlike scraps and broken morsels, and put them into the wolf for the hounds' reward as beforesaid. 

Note both hounds and Greyhounds will require greater fleshing and encouragement to a Wolf than to any other chase, and therefore all the cheer you can use unto them will be little enough.

If a Wolf chance to break upon the hewers, and so escape the course, be not thereat discouraged, but beat the same covert on the next day; for a Wolf has this property, that when he has once so escaped, he bethinks him thereof and returns thither on the next day to see what the matter was which stirred him so, or to see what is become of his companions if he had any, or to see if there be any carrion. He is so crafty, he thinks surely men will not hunt in the said place again so quickly; but if he find fault and perceive any of his companions be killed, then will he be gone from thence the next night, and come no more there of a great while. Yea, though you train him, he may chance to come unto the train, but surely he will not tarry in any covert near unto that place. 

A man may know a Dog-Wolf from a Bitch by the tracks of their feet, for the Dog has a greater heel, a greater toe, greater nails and a rounder foot, and the Bitch casts her fyants commonly in the midst of a highway, whereas the Dog casts them on the one or other side of the path.

Now, let these few things suffice for the hunting of the Wolf.