Chapter 8
But, my Scholer, the _Pearch_ is not only valiant to defend himself, but he is (as you said) a bold biting fish, yet he will not bite at all seasons of the yeer; he is very abstemious in Winter; and hath been observed by some, not usually to bite till the _Mulberry tree_ buds, that is to say, till extreme Frosts be past for that Spring; for when the _Mulberry tree_ blossomes, many Gardners observe their forward fruit to be past the danger of Frosts, and some have made the like observation of the _Pearches_ biting.
But bite the _Pearch_ will, and that very boldly, and as one has wittily observed, if there be twentie or fortie in a hole, they may be at one standing all catch'd one after another; they being, as he saies, like the wicked of the world, not afraid, though their fellowes and companions perish in their sight. And the baits for this bold fish are not many; I mean, he will bite as well at some, or at any of these three, as at any or all others whatsoever; a _Worm_, a _Minnow_, or a little _Frog_ (of which you may find many in hay time) and of _worms_, the Dunghill worm, called a _brandling_, I take to be best, being well scowred in Moss or Fennel; and if you fish for a _Pearch_ with a _Minnow_, then it is best to be alive, you sticking your hook through his back fin, and letting him swim up and down about mid-water, or a little lower, and you still keeping him to about that depth, by a Cork, which ought not to be a very light one: and the like way you are to fish for the _Pearch_ with a small _Frog_, your hook being fastened through the skin of his leg, towards the upper part of it: And lastly, I will give you but this advise, that you give the _Pearch_ time enough when he bites, for there was scarse ever any _Angler_ that has given him too much. And now I think best to rest my selfe, for I have almost spent my spirits with talking so long.
_Viat_. Nay, good Master, one fish more, for you see it rains still, and you know our Angles are like money put to usury; they may thrive though we sit still and do nothing, but talk & enjoy one another. Come, come the other fish, good Master.
_Pisc_. But Scholer, have you nothing to mix with this Discourse, which now grows both tedious and tiresome? Shall I have nothing from you that seems to have both a good memorie, and a cheerful Spirit?
_Viat_. Yes, Master, I will speak you a Coppie of Verses that were made by Doctor _Donne_, and made to shew the world that hee could make soft and smooth Verses, when he thought them fit and worth his labour; and I love them the better, because they allude to Rivers, and fish, and fishing. They bee these:
_Come live with me, and be my love, And we will some new pleasures prove, Of golden sands, and Christal brooks, With silken lines and silver hooks.
There will the River wispering run, Warm'd by thy eyes more then the Sun; And there th'inamel'd fish wil stay, Begging themselves they may betray.
When thou wilt swim in that live bath, Each fish, which every channel hath Most amorously to thee will swim, Gladder to catch thee, then thou him.
If thou, to be so seen, beest loath By Sun or Moon, thou darknest both; And, if mine eyes have leave to see, I need not their light, having thee.
Let others freeze with Angling Reeds, And cut their legs with shels & weeds, Or treacherously poor fish beset, With strangling snares, or windowy net.
Let coarse bold hands, from slimy nest, The bedded fish in banks outwrest, Let curious Traitors sleave silk flies, To 'witch poor wandring fishes eyes.
For thee, thou needst no such deceit, For thou thy self art thine own bait; Tha fish that is not catch'd thereby, Is wiser far, alas, then I_.
_Pisc_. Well remembred, honest Scholer, I thank you for these choice Verses, which I have heard formerly, but had quite forgot, till they were recovered by your happie memorie. Well, being I have now rested my self a little, I will make you some requital, by telling you some observations of the _Eele_, for it rains still, and (as you say) our Angles are as money put to use, that thrive when we play.
CHAP. X.
It is agreed by most men, that the _Eele_ is both a good and a most daintie fish; but most men differ about his breeding; some say, they breed by generation as other fish do; and others, that they breed (as some worms do) out of the putrifaction of the earth, and divers other waies; those that denie them to breed by generation, as other fish do, ask, if any man ever saw an _Eel_ to have Spawn or Melt? And they are answered, That they may be as certain of their breeding, as if they had seen Spawn; for they say, that they are certain that _Eeles_ have all parts fit for generation, like other fish, but so smal as not to be easily discerned, by reason of their fatness; but that discerned they may be; and that the Hee and the She _Eele_ may be distinguished by their fins.
And others say, that _Eeles_ growing old, breed other _Eeles_ out of the corruption of their own age, which Sir _Francis Bacon_ sayes, exceeds not ten years. And others say, that _Eeles_ are bred of a particular dew falling in the Months of _May_ or _June_ on the banks of some particular Ponds or Rivers (apted by nature for that end) which in a few dayes is by the Suns heat turned into _Eeles_. I have seen in the beginning of _July_, in a River not far from _Canterbury_, some parts of it covered over with young _Eeles_ about the thickness of a straw; and these _Eeles_ did lye on the top of that water, as thick as motes are said to be in the Sun; and I have heard the like of other Rivers, as namely, in _Severn_, and in a _pond_ or _Mere_ in _Stafford-shire_, where about a set time in Summer, such small _Eeles_ abound so much, that many of the poorer sort of people, that inhabit near to it, take such _Eeles_ out of this Mere, with sieves or sheets, and make a kind of _Eele-cake_ of them, and eat it like as bread. And _Gesner_ quotes venerable _Bede_ to say, that in _England_ there is an Iland called _Ely_, by reason of the innumerable number of _Eeles_ that breed in it. But that _Eeles_ may be bred as some worms and some kind of _Bees_ and _Wasps_ are, either of dew, or out of the corruption of the earth, seems to be made probable by the _Barnacles_ and young _Goslings_ bred by the Suns heat and the rotten planks of an old Ship, and hatched of trees, both which are related for truths by _Dubartas_, and our learned _Cambden_, and laborious _Gerrard_ in his _Herball_.
It is said by _Randelitius_, that those _Eeles_ that are bred in Rivers, that relate to, or be neer to the Sea, never return to the fresh waters (as the _Salmon_ does alwaies desire to do) when they have once tasted the salt water; and I do the more easily believe this, because I am certain that powdered Bief is a most excellent bait to catch an _Eele_: and S'r. _Francis Bacon_ will allow the _Eeles_ life to be but ten years; yet he in his History of Life and Death, mentions a _Lamprey_, belonging to the _Roman_ Emperor, to be made tame, and so kept for almost three score yeers; and that such useful and pleasant observations were made of this _Lamprey_, that _Crassus_ the Oratour (who kept her) lamented her death.
It is granted by all, or most men, that _Eeles_, for about six months (that is to say, the six cold months of the yeer) stir not up and down, neither in the Rivers nor the Pools in which they are, but get into the soft earth or mud, and there many of them together bed themselves, and live without feeding upon any thing (as I have told you some _Swallows_ have been observed to do in hollow trees for those six cold months); and this the _Eele_ and _Swallow_ do, as not being able to endure winter weather; for _Gesner_ quotes _Albertus_ to say, that in the yeer 1125 (that years winter being more cold then usual) _Eeles_ did by natures instinct get out of the water into a stack of hay in a Meadow upon dry ground, and there bedded themselves, but yet at last died there. I shall say no more of the _Eele_, but that, as it is observed, he is impatient of cold, so it has been observed, that in warm weather an _Eele_ has been known to live five days out of the water. And lastly, let me tell you, that some curious searchers into the natures of fish, observe that there be several sorts or kinds of _Eeles_, as the _Silver-Eele_, and green or greenish _Eel_ (with which the River of Thames abounds, and are called _Gregs_); and a blackish _Eele_, whose head is more flat and bigger then ordinary _Eeles_; and also an _Eele_ whose fins are redish, and but seldome taken in this Nation (and yet taken sometimes): These several kinds of _Eeles_, are (say some) diversly bred; as namely, out of the corruption of the earth, and by dew, and other wayes (as I have said to you:) and yet it is affirmed by some, that for a certain, the _Silver-Eele_ breeds by generation, but not by Spawning as other fish do, but that her Brood come alive from her no bigger nor longer then a pin, and I have had too many testimonies of this to doubt the truth of it.
And this _Eele_ of which I have said so much to you, may be caught with divers kinds of baits; as namely, with powdered Bief, with a _Lob_ or _Garden-worm_, with a _Minnow_, or gut of a _Hen, Chicken_, or with almost any thing, for he is a greedy fish: but the _Eele_ seldome stirs in the day, but then hides himselfe, and therefore he is usually caught by night, with one of these baits of which I have spoken, and then caught by laying hooks, which you are to fasten to the bank, or twigs of a tree; or by throwing a string cross the stream, with many hooks at it, and baited with the foresaid baits, and a clod or plummet, or stone, thrown into the River with this line, that so you may in the morning find it neer to some fixt place, and then take it up with a drag-hook or otherwise: but these things are indeed too common to be spoken of; and an hours fishing with any _Angler_ will teach you better, both for these, and many other common things in the practical part of _Angling_, then a weeks discourse. I shall therefore conclude this direction for taking the _Eele_, by telling you, that in a warm day in Summer, I have taken many a good _Eele_ by _snigling_, and have been much pleased with that sport.
And because you that are but a young Angler, know not what _snigling_ is, I wil now teach it to you: you remember I told you that _Eeles_ do not usually stir in the day time, for then they hide themselvs under some covert, or under boards, or planks about Floud-gates, or Weirs, or Mils, or in holes in the River banks; and you observing your time in a warm day, when the water is lowest, may take a hook tied to a strong line, or to a string about a yard long, and then into one of these holes, or between any boards about a Mill, or under any great stone or plank, or any place where you think an _Eele_ may hide or shelter her selfe, there with the help of a short stick put in your bait, but leisurely, and as far as you may conveniently; and it is scarce to be doubted, but that if there be an Eel within the sight of it, the _Eele_ will bite instantly, and as certainly gorge it; and you need not doubt to have him, if you pull him not out of the hole too quickly, but pull him out by degrees, for he lying folded double in his hole, will, with the help of his taile, break all, unless you give him time to be wearied with pulling, and so get him out by degrees; not pulling too hard. And thus much for this present time concerning the _Eele_: I wil next tel you a little of the _Barbell_, and hope with a little discourse of him, to have an end of this showr, and fal to fishing, for the weather clears up a little.
CHAP. XI.
_Pisc_. The _Barbell_, is so called (sayes _Gesner_) from or by reason of his beard, or wattles at his mouth, his mouth being under his nose or chaps, and he is one of the leather mouthed fish that has his teeth in his throat, he loves to live in very swift streams, and where it is gravelly, and in the gravel will root or dig with his nose like a Hog, and there nest himself, taking so fast hold of any weeds or moss that grows on stones, or on piles about _Weirs_, or _Floud-gates_, or _Bridges_, that the water is not able, be it never so swift, to force him from the place which he seems to contend for: this is his constant custome in Summer, when both he, and most living creatures joy and sport themselves in the Sun; but at the approach of Winter, then he forsakes the swift streams and shallow waters, and by degrees retires to those parts of the River that are quiet and deeper; in which places, (and I think about that time) he Spawns; and as I have formerly told you, with the help of the Melter, hides his Spawn or eggs in holes, which they both dig in the gravel, and then they mutually labour to cover it with the same sand to prevent it from being devoured by other fish.
There be such store of this fish in the River _Danubie_, that _Randelitius_ sayes, they may in some places of it, and in some months of the yeer, be taken by those that dwel neer to the River, with their hands, eight or ten load at a time; he sayes, they begin to be good in _May_, and that they cease to be so in _August_; but it is found to be otherwise in this Nation: but thus far we agree with him, that the Spawne of a _Barbell_ is, if be not poison, as he sayes, yet that it is dangerous meat, and especially in the month of _May_; and _Gesner_ declares, it had an ill effect upon him, to the indangering of his life.
This fish is of a fine cast and handsome shape, and may be rather said not to be ill, then to bee good meat; the _Chub_ and he have (I think) both lost a part of their credit by ill Cookery, they being reputed the worst or coarsest of fresh water fish: but the _Barbell_ affords an _Angler_ choice sport, being a lustie and a cunning fish; so lustie and cunning as to endanger the breaking of the Anglers line, by running his head forcibly towards any covert or hole, or bank, and then striking at the line, to break it off with his tail (as is observed by _Plutark_, in his book _De industria animalium_) and also so cunning to nibble and suck off your worme close to the hook, and yet avoid the letting the hook come into his mouth.
The _Barbell_ is also curious for his baits, that is to say, that they be clean and sweet; that is to say, to have your worms well scowred, and not kept in sowre or mustie moss; for at a well scowred Lob-worm, he will bite as boldly as at any bait, especially, if the night or two before you fish for him, you shall bait the places where you intend to fish for him with big worms cut into pieces; and Gentles (not being too much scowred, but green) are a choice bait for him, and so is cheese, which is not to be too hard, but kept a day or two in a wet linnen cloth to make it tough; with this you may also bait the water a day or two before you fish for the _Barbel_, and be much the likelier to catch store; and if the cheese were laid in clarified honey a short time before (as namely, an hour or two) you were still the likelier to catch fish; some have directed to cut the cheese into thin pieces, and toste it, and then tye it on the hook with fine Silk: and some advise to fish for the _Barbell_ with Sheeps tallow and soft cheese beaten or work'd into a Paste, and that it is choicely good in _August_; and I believe it: but doubtless the Lob-worm well scoured, and the Gentle not too much scowred, and cheese ordered as I have directed, are baits enough, and I think will serve in any Month; though I shall commend any Angler that tryes conclusions, and is industrious to improve the Art. And now, my honest Scholer, the long showre, and my tedious discourse are both ended together; and I shall give you but this Observation, That when you fish for a _Barbell_, your Rod and Line be both long, and of good strength, for you will find him a heavy and a doged fish to be dealt withal, yet he seldom or never breaks his hold if he be once strucken.
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_. God 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-cock_ 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.