And now lets go and see what interest the _Trouts_ will pay us for letting our Angle-rods lye so long and so quietly in the water. Come, Scholer; which will you take up?
_Viat_. Which you think fit, Master.
_Pisc_. Why, you shall take up that; for I am certain by viewing the Line, it has a fish at it. Look you, Scholer, well done. Come now, take up the other too; well, now you may tell my brother _Peter_ at night, that you have caught a lease of _Trouts_ this day. And now lets move toward our lodging, and drink a draught of Red-Cows milk, as we go, and give pretty _Maudlin_ and her mother a brace of _Trouts_ for their supper.
_Viat_. Master, I like your motion very well, and I think it is now about milking time, and yonder they be at it.
_Pisc_. G.o.d speed you good woman, I thank you both for our Songs last night; I and my companion had such fortune a fishing this day, that we resolve to give you and _Maudlin_ a brace of _Trouts_ for supper, and we will now taste a draught of your Red Cows milk.
_Milkw_. Marry, and that you shal with all my heart, and I will be still your debtor: when you come next this way, if you will but speak the word, I will make you a good _Sillabub_ and then you may sit down in a _Hay-c.o.c.k_ and eat it, and _Maudlin_ shal sit by and sing you the good old Song of the _Hunting in Chevy Chase_, or some other good Ballad, for she hath good store of them: _Maudlin_ hath a notable memory.
_Viat_. We thank you, and intend once in a Month to call upon you again, and give you a little warning, and so good night; good night _Maudlin_. And now, good Master, lets lose no time, but tell me somewhat more of fishing; and if you please, first something of fishing for a _Gudgion_.
_Pisc_. I will, honest Scholer. The _Gudgion_ is an excellent fish to eat, and good also to enter a young _Angler_; he is easie to bee taken with a smal red worm at the ground and is one of those leather mouthed fish that has his teeth in his throat and will hardly be lost off from the hook if he be once strucken: they be usually scattered up and down every River in the shallows, in the heat of Summer; but in _Autome_, when the weeds begin to grow sowre or rot, and the weather colder, then they gather together, and get into the deeper parts of the water, and are to be fish"d for there, with your hook alwaies touching the ground, if you fish for him with a flote or with a cork; but many will fish for the _Gudgion_ by hand, with a running line upon the ground without a cork as a _Trout_ is fished for, and it is an excellent way.
There is also another fish called a _Pope_, and by some a _Russe_, a fish that is not known to be in some Rivers; it is much like the _Pearch_ for his shape, but will not grow to be bigger then a _Gudgion_; he is an excellent fish, no fish that swims is of a pleasanter taste; and he is also excellent to enter a young _Angler_, for he is a greedy biter, and they will usually lye abundance of them, together in one reserved place where the water is deep, and runs quietly, and an easie Angler, if he has found where they lye, may catch fortie or fiftie, or sometimes twice so many at a standing.
There is also a _Bleak_, a fish that is ever in motion, and therefore called by some the River Swallow; for just as you shall observe the _Swallow_ to be most evenings in Summer ever in motion, making short and quick turns when he flies to catch flies in the aire, by which he lives, so does the _Bleak_ at the top of the water; and this fish is best caught with a fine smal Artificial Fly, which is to be of a brown colour, and very smal, and the hook answerable: There is no better sport then whipping for _Bleaks_ in a boat in a Summers evening, with a hazle top about five or six foot long, and a line twice the length of the Rod. I have heard Sir _Henry Wotton_ say, that there be many that in _Italy_ will catch _Swallows_ so, or especially _Martins_ (the Bird-Angler standing on the top of a Steeple to do it, and with a line twice so long, as I have spoke of) and let me tell you, Scholer, that both _Martins_ and _Blekes_ be most excellent meat.
I might now tell you how to catch _Roch_ and _Dace_, and some other fish of little note, that I have not yet spoke of; but you see we are almost at our lodging, and indeed if we were not, I would omit to give you any directions concerning them, or how to fish for them, not but that they be both good fish (being in season) and especially to some palates, and they also make the Angler good sport (and you know the Hunter sayes, there is more sport in hunting the Hare, then in eating of her) but I will forbear to give you any direction concerning them, because you may go a few dayes and take the pleasure of the fresh aire, and bear any common Angler company that fishes for them, and by that means learn more then any direction I can give you in words, can make you capable of; and I will therefore end my discourse, for yonder comes our brother _Peter_ and honest _Coridon_, but I will promise you that as you and I fish, and walk to morrow towards _London_, if I have now forgotten any thing that I can then remember, I will not keep it from you.
Well met, Gentlemen, this is luckie that we meet so just together at this very door. Come Hostis, where are you? is Supper ready? come, first give us drink, and be as quick as you can, for I believe wee are all very hungry. Wel, brother _Peter_ and _Coridon_ to you both; come drink, and tell me what luck of fish: we two have caught but ten _Trouts_, of which my Scholer caught three; look here"s eight, and a brace we gave away: we have had a most pleasant day for fishing, and talking, and now returned home both weary and hungry, and now meat and rest will be pleasant.
_Pet_. And _Coridon_ and I have not had an unpleasant day, and yet I have caught but five _Trouts_; for indeed we went to a good honest Alehouse, and there we plaid at shovel-board half the day; all the time that it rained we were there, and as merry as they that fish"d, and I am glad we are now with a dry house over our heads, for heark how it rains and blows. Come Hostis, give us more Ale, and our Supper with what haste you may, and when we have sup"d, lets have your Song, _Piscator_, and the Ketch that your Scholer promised us, or else _Coridon_ wil be doged.
_Pisc_. Nay, I will not be worse then my word, you shall not want my Song, and I hope I shall be perfect in it.
_Viat_. And I hope the like for my Ketch, which I have ready too, and therefore lets go merrily to Supper, and then have a gentle touch at singing and drinking; but the last with moderation.
_Cor_. Come, now for your Song, for we have fed heartily. Come Hostis, give us a little more drink, and lay a few more sticks on the fire, and now sing when you will.
_Pisc_. Well then, here"s to you _Coridon_; and now for my Song.
_Oh the brave Fisher"s life, It is the best of any, "Tis full of pleasure, void of strife, And "tis belov"d of many: Other joyes are but toyes, only this lawful is, for our skil breeds no ill, but content and pleasure.
In a morning up we rise Ere_ Aurora"s _peeping, Drink a cup to wash our eyes, Leave the sluggard sleeping; Then we go too and fro, with our knacks at our backs, to such streams as the_ Thames _if we have the leisure.
When we please to walk abroad For our recreation, In the fields is our abode, Full of delectation: Where in a Brook with a hook, or a Lake fish we take, there we sit for a bit, till we fish intangle.
We have Gentles in a horn, We have Paste and worms too, We can watch both night and morn.
Suffer rain and storms too: None do here use to swear, oathes do fray fish away.
we sit still, watch our quill, Fishers must not rangle.
If the Suns excessive heat Makes our bodies swelter To an_ Osier _hedge we get For a friendly shelter, where in a dike_ Pearch _or_ Pike, Roch _or_ Dace _we do chase_ Bleak _or_ Gudgion _without grudging, we are still contented.
Or we sometimes pa.s.s an hour, Under a green willow, That defends us from a showr, Making earth our pillow, There we may think and pray before death stops our breath; other joyes are but toyes and to be lamented_.
_Viat_. Well sung, Master; this dayes fortune and pleasure, and this nights company and Song, do all make me more and more in love with _Angling_. Gentlemen, my Master left me alone for an hour this day, and I verily believe he retir"d himself from talking with me, that he might be so perfect in this Song; was it not Master?
_Pisc_. Yes indeed, for it is many yeers since I learn"d it, and having forgotten a part of it, I was forced to patch it up by the help of my own invention, who am not excellent at Poetry, as my part of the Song may testifie: But of that I will say no more, least you should think I mean by discommending it, to beg your commendations of it. And therefore without replications, lets hear your Ketch, Scholer, which I hope will be a good one, for you are both Musical, and have a good fancie to boot.
_Viat_. Marry, and that you shall, and as freely as I would have my honest Master tel me some more secrets of fish and fishing as we walk and fish towards _London_ to morrow. But Master, first let me tell you, that that very hour which you were absent from me, I sate down under a Willow tree by the water side, and considered what you had told me of the owner of that pleasant Meadow in which you then left me, that he had a plentiful estate, and not a heart to think so; that he had at this time many Law Suites depending, and that they both damp"d his mirth and took up so much of his time and thoughts, that he himselfe had not leisure to take the sweet content that I, who pretended no t.i.tle, took in his fields; for I could there sit quietly, and looking on the water, see fishes leaping at Flies of several shapes and colours; looking on the Hils, could behold them spotted with Woods and Groves; looking down the Meadows, could see here a Boy gathering _Lillies_ and _Lady-smocks_, and there a Girle cropping _Culverkeys_ and _Cowslips_, all to make Garlands sutable to this pleasant Month of _May_; these and many other Field-flowers so perfum"d the air, that I thought this Meadow like the field in _Sicily_ (of which _Diodorus_ speaks) where the perfumes arising from the place, makes all dogs that hunt in it, to fall off, and to lose their hottest sent. I say, as I thus sate joying in mine own happy condition, and pittying that rich mans that ought this, and many other pleasant Groves and Meadows about me, I did thankfully remember what my Saviour said, that _the meek possess the earth_; for indeed they are free from those high, those restless thoughts and contentions which corrode the sweets of life. For they, and they only, can say as the Poet has happily exprest it.
_Hail blest estate of poverty!
Happy enjoyment of such minds, As rich in low contentedness.
Can, like the reeds in roughest winds, By yeelding make that blow but smal At which proud Oaks and Cedars fal_.
Gentlemen, these were a part of the thoughts that then possest me, and I there made a conversion of a piece of an old Ketch, and added more to it, fitting them to be sung by us Anglers: Come, Master, you can sing well, you must sing a part of it as it is in this paper.
[Ill.u.s.tration: Song with notes]
The ANGLERS Song.
_For two Voyces, Treble and Ba.s.so. CANTUS. Mr. Henry Lawes_.
An"s life is but vain; for "tis subject to pain, and sorrow, and short as a buble; "tis a hodge podge of business, and mony, and care; and care, and mony, and trouble. But we"l take no care when the weather proves fair, nor will we vex now though it rain; we"l banish all sorrow, and sing till tomorrow, and Angle, and Angle again.
The ANGLERS song.
_Ba.s.sUS. For two Voyces. By Mr. Henry Lawes_.
An"s life is but vain; for "tis subiect to pain and sorrow, and short as a buble, "tis a hodge podge of business, and mony, and care; and care, and mony, and trouble. But we"l take no care when the weather proves fair, nor will we vex now though it rain; we"l banish all sorrow, and sing till to morrow, and Angle, and Angle again.
_Pet_. I marry Sir, this is Musick indeed, this has cheered my heart, and made me to remember six Verses in praise of Musick, which I will speak to you instantly.
_Musick, miraculous Rhetorick, that speak"st sense Without a tongue, excelling eloquence; With what ease might thy errors be excus"d Wert thou as truly lov"d as th"art abus"d.
But though dull souls neglect, and some reprove thee, I cannot hate thee, "cause the Angels love thee_.
_Piscat_. Well remembred, brother _Peter_, these Verses came seasonably. Come, we will all joine together, mine Hoste and all, and sing my Scholers Ketch over again, and then each man drink the tother cup and to bed, and thank G.o.d we have a dry house over our heads.
_Pisc_. Well now, good night to every body.
_Pet_. And so say I.
_Viat_. And so say I.
_Cor_. Good night to you all, and I thank you.
_Pisc_. Good morrow brother _Peter_, and the like to you, honest _Coridon_; come, my Hostis sayes there"s seven shillings to pay, lets each man drink a pot for his mornings draught, and lay downe his two shillings, that so my Hostis may not have occasion to repent her self of being so diligent, and using us so kindly.
_Pet_. The motion is liked by every body; And so Hostis, here"s your mony, we Anglers are all beholding to you, it wil not be long ere Ile see you again. And now brother _Piscator_, I wish you and my brother your Scholer a fair day, and good fortune. Come _Coridon_, this is our way.
CHAP. XII.