This is a modern-English version of A Treatyse of Fysshynge wyth an Angle: Being a facsimile reproduction of the first book on the subject of fishing printed in England by Wynkyn de Worde at Westminster in 1496, originally written by Berners, Juliana. It has been thoroughly updated, including changes to sentence structure, words, spelling, and grammar—to ensure clarity for contemporary readers, while preserving the original spirit and nuance. If you click on a paragraph, you will see the original text that we modified, and you can toggle between the two versions.

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A Treatyse of Fysshynge wyth an Angle,
by Dame Juliana Berners

COMPANION VOLUME TO THE “TREATYSE OF FYSSHYNGE WYTH AN ANGLE.”

In the Press, and shortly will be Published, uniform with “The Treatyse of Fysshynge wyth an Angle,”

A COPY OF
The Book of Saint Albans,
BY DAME JULIANA BERNERS.
CONTAINING THE
Essays on Falconry, Hunting, and Heraldry.

PRINTED AT ST. ALBANS BY THE SCHOOLMASTER-PRINTER IN 1486.

With an Introduction by WILLIAM BLADEZ, Author of the “Life and Typography of Caxton.”

This facsimile is faithfully reproduced by photography; it is being printed on rough hand-made paper similar to that of the original, and will be bound in handsome contemporary binding. The interest and value of this reproduction will be greatly enhanced by Mr. BLADES’ Preface, which treats at length, in separate chapters, of the AUTHORSHIP, TYPOGRAPHY, BIBLIOGRAPHY, SUBJECT-MATTER, and PHILOLOGY of the Work.

This facsimile is faithfully reproduced through photography; it is being printed on rough handmade paper similar to the original, and will be bound in attractive contemporary binding. The interest and value of this reproduction will be greatly enhanced by Mr. BLADES’ Preface, which covers in detail, in separate chapters, the Authorship, TTYPOGRAPHY, Bibliography, Subject Matter, and PHILOLOGY of the work.

As THE BOOK OF SAINT ALBANS is the Work in which THE TREATYSE OF FYSSHYNGE WYTH AN ANGLE was incorporated on its first publication, its possession by the Subscribers to the latter should be secured, in order to complete the set of “dyuerse bokys concernynge to gentyll and noble men.”

As THE Book OF SAINT ALBANS is the work in which THE TREATYSE OF FYSSHYNGE WITH AN ANGLE was included upon its first publication, its ownership by the Subscribers to the latter should be secured, in order to complete the set of “various books concerning gentle and noble men.”

A full Prospectus concerning the publication of “The Book of Saint Albans” will be sent on application to

A complete prospectus regarding the publication of “The Book of Saint Albans” will be sent upon request to

ELLIOT STOCK, 62 PATERNOSTER ROW, LONDON, E.C.

A Treatyse of Fysshynge wyth an Angle.

BY
Dame Juliana Berners:
BEING A FACSIMILE REPRODUCTION OF THE FIRST BOOK ON THE SUBJECT OF FISHING PRINTED IN ENGLAND BY
WYNKYN DE WORDE
At Westminster in 1496.

REV. M. G. WATKINS, M.A.

ELLIOT STOCK, 62, PATERNOSTER ROW,
LONDON, E.C.
1880

Preface to Lady Juliana Berners' Treatise on Fishing with an Angle.

HE scholarly angler is here presented with an exact facsimile of the first English treatise on fishing. The book is of extreme interest for several reasons, not the least curious being that it has served as a literary quarry to so many succeeding writers on fishing, who have not disdained to adapt the authoress’s sentiments to their own use, and even to borrow them word for word without acknowledgment. Walton himself was evidently familiar with it, and has clearly taken his “jury of flies” from its “xij flyes wyth whyche ye shall angle to y^e trought & grayllyng;” while Burton, that universal plunderer, has extracted her eloquent eulogy on the secondary pleasures of angling for incorporation with the patchwork structure of his “Anatomy of Melancholy.” Besides giving the earliest account of the art of fishing, the estimate which the authoress forms of the moral value of the craft is not only very high, but has served to strike the keynote for all subsequent followers of the art both in their praises and their practice of it. To this little treatise more than to any other belongs the credit of having assigned in popular estimation to the angler his meditative and gentle nature. Many pure and noble intellects have kindled into lasting devotion to angling on reading her eloquent commendation of it. Such men as Donne, Wotton, and Herbert, Paley, Bell, and Davy, together with many another excellent and simple disposition, have caught enthusiasm from her lofty sentiments, and found that not their bodily health only, but also their morals, were improved by angling. It became a school of virtues, a quiet pastime in which, while looking into their own hearts, they learnt lessons of the highest wisdom, reverence, resignation, and love—love of their fellow-men, of the lower creatures, and of their Creator.

The scholarly angler is presented here with an exact facsimile of the first English treatise on fishing. This book is extremely interesting for several reasons, not the least of which is that it has served as a source for many later writers on fishing, who have readily adapted the author's ideas for their own use and even borrowed them word for word without acknowledgment. Walton himself was clearly familiar with it and has clearly taken his “jury of flies” from its “xij flyes wyth whyche ye shall angle to y^e trought & grayllyng;” while Burton, that universal thief, has extracted her eloquent praise of the secondary pleasures of angling to incorporate into the patchwork of his “Anatomy of Melancholy.” Besides providing the earliest account of the art of fishing, the author's estimation of the moral value of the craft is not only very high but has set the standard for all subsequent followers of the art in both their praises and practices. To this little treatise more than to any other belongs the credit for assigning to the angler his meditative and gentle nature. Many pure and noble minds have developed a lasting devotion to angling after reading her eloquent praise of it. Men like Donne, Wotton, Herbert, Paley, Bell, and Davy, along with many others of excellent and simple disposition, have found inspiration in her lofty sentiments and discovered that their physical health as well as their morals were improved by angling. It became a school of virtues, a quiet pastime in which, while reflecting on their own hearts, they learned lessons of the highest wisdom, reverence, resignation, and love—love for their fellow men, for the lower creatures, and for their Creator.

Nothing definite is known of the reputed authoress, Dame Juliana Barnes or Berners. She is said to have been a daughter of Sir James Berners of Roding Berners in the county of Essex, a favourite of King Richard the Second, who was beheaded in 1388 as an evil counsellor to the king and an enemy to the public weal. She was celebrated for her extreme beauty and great learning, and is reported to have held the office of prioress of the Benedictine Nunnery of Sopwell in Hertfordshire, a cell to the Abbey of St. Alban, but of this no documentary evidence exists. The first edition of her “Book of St. Alban’s,” printed by the schoolmaster-printer of St. Alban’s in 1486, treats of hawking, hunting, and coat-armour. In the next edition, “Enprynted at Westmestre by Wynkyn the Worde the yere of thyncarnacōn of our lorde. M . CCCC . lxxxxvi,” among the other “treatyfes perteynynge to hawkynge & huntynge with other dyuers playsaunt materes belongynge vnto noblesse,” appeared the present treatise on angling. The aristocratic instincts of the authoress prompted this mode of publication, as she herself explains in the concluding paragraph—“by cause that this present treatyse sholde not come to the hondys of eche ydle persone whyche wolde desire it yf it were enprynted allone by itself & put in a lytyll plaunflet, therfore I haue compylyd it in a greter volume of dyuerse bokys concernynge to gentyll & noble men to the entent that the forsayd ydle persones whyche sholde haue but lytyll mesure in the sayd dysporte of fysshyng sholde not by this meane vtterly dystroye it.” The present publication is the “little pamphlet” which was enclosed in this “greater volume.” An edition of it as a distinct treatise appears to have been issued by Wynkyn de Worde soon after that of 1496, with the title, “Here begynnyth a treatyse of fysshynge wyth an Angle” over the curious woodcut of the man fishing which is on the first page of the present facsimile, but only one copy of it is known to be in existence. At least ten more editions appeared before the year 1600. This shows the great popularity of the book at the time of its publication, and considering how human nature remains the same, and the charms of angling are equally grateful to every fresh generation of anglers, affords a sufficient reason for the strong antiquarian delight which all literary anglers of the present century have felt in the book. It is worth while briefly to trace the bibliography of angling onwards until the appearance in 1653 of Walton’s Compleat Angler, when the reader will be on familiar ground. In the interval of more than a hundred and fifty years between these two names of Berners and Walton, so deeply reverenced by every true scholar of the craft, there occur but four books on angling, though each one of these possesses a fame peculiar to itself. First came Leonard Mascall’s Booke of Fishing with Hooke and Line, published in 1590. Taverner’s Certaine Experiments concerning Fish and Fruite followed in 1600. Then came in 1613 the Secrets of Angling of the celebrated angling poet, J. D. [John Dennys], whose verses have perhaps never yet been surpassed; and finally, in 1651, appeared Barker’s Art of Angling. With this fisherman and “ambassador’s cook,” as he calls himself, Walton must often have conversed.

Nothing definite is known about the supposed author, Dame Juliana Barnes or Berners. She's said to have been the daughter of Sir James Berners of Roding Berners in Essex, a favorite of King Richard the Second, who was beheaded in 1388 for being a bad advisor to the king and an enemy of the public good. She was famous for her incredible beauty and extensive knowledge and is reported to have held the position of prioress at the Benedictine Nunnery of Sopwell in Hertfordshire, which is a cell of the Abbey of St. Alban, but there’s no documentary evidence for this. The first edition of her "Book of St. Alban's," printed by the schoolmaster-printer of St. Alban's in 1486, covers hawking, hunting, and heraldry. In the next edition, "Enprynted at Westmestre by Wynkyn the Worde the yere of thyncarnacōn of our lorde. M.CCCC.lxxxxvi," among the other “treatyfes perteynynge to hawkynge & hunting with other dyuers playsaunt materes belongynge vnto noblesse," there was the current treatise on angling. The author’s aristocratic instincts prompted this method of publication, as she explains in the last paragraph—“because this current treatise shouldn’t end up in the hands of every idle person who would want it if it were printed alone as a little pamphlet, I have compiled it in a larger volume of various books concerning gentlemen and noble men so that those idle people who would have little restraint in the sport of fishing wouldn’t completely ruin it.” The current publication is the “little pamphlet” that was included in this “greater volume.” An edition of it as a separate treatise was likely published by Wynkyn de Worde soon after 1496, titled “Here begynnyth a treatyse of fysshynge wyth an Angle,” featuring the curious woodcut of a fisherman on the first page of the current facsimile, but only one copy of it is known to exist. At least ten more editions came out before 1600. This indicates the book's great popularity at the time of its publication, and given that human nature stays the same, along with the enduring appeal of fishing to each new generation of anglers, it offers a solid reason for the strong antique appreciation literary anglers today have for this book. It's worthwhile to briefly trace the bibliography of angling up to the publication of Walton’s Compleat Angler in 1653, when the reader will be in familiar territory. In the more than one hundred and fifty years between Berners and Walton, both revered by every true scholar of the craft, only four books on angling appeared, each notable in its own way. First was Leonard Mascall’s Booke of Fishing with Hooke and Line, published in 1590. Taverner’s Certaine Experiments concerning Fish and Fruite followed in 1600. Then in 1613 came the Secrets of Angling by the renowned angling poet J. D. [John Dennys], whose verses might never have been surpassed; and finally, in 1651, Barker’s Art of Angling was published. Walton must have often talked with this fisherman and “ambassador’s cook,” as he referred to himself.

It is a further testimony to the attractions which angling has always possessed for contemplative natures that the art appears here systematised, so to speak, as early as the middle of the fifteenth century in England, where it has been practised ever since with more enthusiasm and skill than in other countries. There is a sad gap in angling literature from the days of Ausonius, at the commencement of the fourth century, to those of Dame Juliana Berners. Fly-fishing, indeed, is not named between the time of Ælian and that of the Treatyse. It is clearly described by the former writer, who alone among the ancients mentions it, but in the present book it is spoken of under the term “angling with a dubbe,” as if it were well-known and practised. Not only so, but it is clear that the writer had books of angling lore before her, perhaps monkish manuscripts, as Hawkins suggests, which would be of inestimable interest could they now be recovered. Thus in speaking of the carp, the reader will find she writes—“as touchynge his baytes I haue but lytyll knowlege of it. And me were loth to wryte more than I knowe & haue prouyd. But well I wote that the redde worme & the menow ben good baytys for hym at all tymes as I haue herde saye of persones credyble & also founde wryten in bokes of credence.” No better rules can be given for fly-fishing at present than the two which she prescribes for angling—“for the fyrste and pryncypall poynt in anglynge : kepe y^e euer fro the water fro the sighte of the fysshe,” and “also loke that ye shadow not the water as moche as ye may.” The “troughte” is to be angled for “wyth a dubbe” [artificial fly] “in lepynge time;” but as for the salmon, “ye may take hym : but it is seldom seen with a dubbe at suche tyme as whan he lepith in lyke fourme & manere as ye doo take a troughte or a gryalynge.” With the imperfect tackle and clumsy rod of those days, it is no wonder that the capture of salmon with a fly, which is still the crowning achievement of the craft, could seldom be effected.

It further shows how appealing fishing has always been for reflective people that the practice is more or less systematized as early as the mid-fifteenth century in England, where it has been enjoyed with more enthusiasm and skill than in other countries. There is a noticeable gap in fishing literature from the time of Ausonius at the start of the fourth century to Dame Juliana Berners. Fly-fishing, in fact, is not mentioned between Ælian and the Treatyse. The earlier writer describes it well, being the only ancient author to mention it, but in this book, it is referred to as “angling with a dubbe,” as if it was already familiar and practiced. Moreover, it seems that the writer had angling books in front of her, possibly monkish manuscripts, which Hawkins suggests, that would be incredibly valuable if they could be found today. When discussing carp, the reader will find she writes—“as touching his baytes I have but little knowledge of it. And I would be reluctant to write more than I know and have tried. But I do know that the red worm and the minnow are good baits for him at all times, as I have heard from credible people and also found written in books of credibility.” No better rules can be given for fly-fishing today than the two she outlines for angling—“for the first and principal point in angling: keep your line always from the water and out of sight of the fish,” and “also make sure you don’t cast a shadow on the water as much as you can.” The “trout” should be fished for “with a dubbe” [artificial fly] “in leaping time;” but as for salmon, “you may catch him: but he is rarely seen with a dubbe at such times as when he leaps, just like you would catch a trout or a graying.” Given the primitive tackle and clumsy rod of those times, it’s no surprise that catching salmon with a fly, which is still the ultimate skill in the craft, was rarely accomplished.

After the eloquent pleading for angling with which the treatise opens, the lady at once proceeds to teach the making of the “harnays” of it. The rod she orders to be constructed somewhat resembles, save in its larger size, the modern walking-stick rod. A hazel wand, or failing it, one of willow or mountain ash, is to be procured, as thick as the arm and nine feet in length. This is to form the butt, and is to be hollowed out by means of divers red-hot irons into a tapering hole, which is to receive the “croppe,” or top, as we now call it, when not in use. This “croppe” is to be made of a yard of hazel, joined to a length of blackthorn, crab, medlar, or “jenypre.” All these are to be cut between Michaelmas and Candlemas, the lady giving very particular directions as to their drying and the like. When the two portions of the “crop” are “fretted together,” the whole rod is to be shaved into a shapely taper form; the staff encircled with long hoops of iron or latten at both ends, and finished with a “pyke in the nether ende fastnyd wyth a rennynge vyce : to take in & oute youre croppe.” The line is then to be wound round the crop and tied fast with a bow at the top. The reader will note that there is no mention of a reel; it was only used, seemingly until the beginning of this century, for large salmon and pike. An angler who hooked a fish when armed with this ponderous rod (which must from its description have been nearly eighteen feet long, as large as a modern salmon rod), would act as Izaak Walton would have done in the like predicament,—throw the rod in to the fish and recover it when he could. But the lady is wonderfully pleased with this mighty rod, and thus concludes—“Thus shall ye make you a rodde soo preuy that ye maye walke therwyth : and there shall noo man wyte where abowte ye goo. It woll be lyghte & full nymbyll to fysshe wyth at your luste. And for the more redynesse loo here a fygure,” and she adds the curious woodcut which the reader may see reproduced at page 5.

After the passionate appeal for fishing that kicks off the treatise, the lady immediately begins to instruct on how to make the fishing pole. The rod she describes looks somewhat like a larger version of a modern walking-stick rod. You need to get a hazel branch, or if that isn’t available, one made of willow or mountain ash, about as thick as your arm and nine feet long. This will be the butt of the rod, and you should hollow it out with various red-hot irons to create a tapered hole where the “croppe,” or tip, as we now refer to it, will be inserted when not in use. This “croppe” should be made from a yard of hazel, joined to a length of blackthorn, crab, medlar, or “jenypre.” All these materials should be cut between Michaelmas and Candlemas, with specific instructions from the lady on how to dry them properly. Once the two parts of the “crop” are “fretted together,” the entire rod should be shaped into a sleek taper; the staff should be wrapped with long bands of iron or latten at both ends and finished with a “pike at the lower end fixed with a running vice: to take in and out your croppe.” Then, the line should be wound around the crop and securely tied in a bow at the top. The reader will notice that there’s no mention of a reel; it was typically only used, seemingly until the beginning of this century, for catching large salmon and pike. An angler who hooked a fish with this heavy rod (which must have been nearly eighteen feet long, similar to a modern salmon rod) would have acted like Izaak Walton would have in the same situation—throw the rod into the water and retrieve it when possible. But the lady is thoroughly delighted with this impressive rod and concludes, “Thus shall ye make you a rodde so clever that ye may walk with it: and there shall no man know where you go. It will be light and very nimble to fish with at your leisure. And for more ease, look here is a figure,” and she adds the interesting woodcut that the reader can see on page 5.

Then follow directions how to dye and make lines and hooks. There were evidently no manufacturers of hooks in the fifteenth century: each angler made his own. The casting of plummets and forming of floats succeed. The six methods of angling and the mode of playing a fish are next treated, and the latter alone shows that Dame Juliana must herself have been a proficient in the craft. No one but a thoroughly good fisher could have summed up the art of playing a fish in the words—“kepe hym euer vnder the rodde, and euermore holde hym streyghte : soo that your lyne may susteyne and beere his lepys and his plungys wyth the helpe of your croppe & of your honde.” The place, the time of day, and the weather in which to fish, are next particularly described after the exactitude peculiar to fishing manuals of the olden time. These paragraphs are well worth the consideration of a modern angler, especially the charge, “yf the wynde be in the Eest, that is worste For comynly neyther wynter nor somer y^e fysshe woll not byte thenne.”

Then there are instructions on how to dye and create lines and hooks. Clearly, there were no hook manufacturers in the fifteenth century; each fisherman made his own. Next comes the casting of weights and making floats. The six methods of fishing and the way to play a fish are discussed, and the latter alone indicates that Dame Juliana must have been skilled in the craft herself. Only a truly excellent fisherman could have summarized the art of playing a fish with the phrase—“keep him always under the rod, and always hold him straight: so that your line can support and bear his leaps and plunges with the help of your grip and your hand.” The specific places, times of day, and weather conditions for fishing are described next with the precision typical of old fishing manuals. These sections are definitely worth a modern angler’s attention, especially the advice, “if the wind is coming from the East, that is worst, for commonly neither in winter nor summer will the fish bite then.”

The following part of the treatise, with what baits and how to angle for each kind of fish, together with a brief description of each, certainly furnished Walton with a model for some of his chapters. This portion of her book is regarded by the authoress as most necessary to be known and proficiency in carrying out her rules “is all the effecte of the crafte.” She adds amusingly, “for ye can not brynge an hoke in to a fyssh mouth wythout a bayte.” A few of the quaint receipts of her age succeed; how to keep live baits, to make pastes and the like, ending with a rule which is often given to flyfishers for trout at the present day: “Whan ye haue take a grete fysshe : vndo the mawe, & what ye fynde therin make that your bayte : for it is beste.”

The next section of the treatise discusses what baits to use and how to fish for each type of fish, along with a brief description of each one. This definitely provided Walton with a framework for some of his chapters. The author views this part of her book as essential knowledge, emphasizing that being skilled in following her guidelines "is all the essence of the craft." She humorously adds, "for you can’t hook a fish without bait." A few of the unique instructions from her time follow, including how to keep live bait and make pastes, ending with a tip that’s still common among fly fishers for trout today: "When you have caught a big fish: open the stomach, and whatever you find inside, use that as your bait: for it is best."

Just as the authoress rises to eloquence at the beginning of the treatise when comparing the fisher’s happy life with the toils and troubles which too often fall to the lot of the hunter, hawker, and fowler, so the end of these rules once more recalls her enthusiasm. The last two pages of the book give us a portrait of her conception of the perfect angler, and it is no presumption to say that a nobler and truer picture has never been limned. Simplicity of disposition, forbearance to our neighbours’ rights, and consideration for the poor, are strongly inculcated. All covetousness in fishing or employment of its gentle art to increase worldly gain and fill the larder is equally condemned. She holds the highest view of angling; that it is to serve a man for solace, and to cause the health of his body, but especially of his soul. So she would have him pursue his craft alone for the most part, when his mind can rise to high and holy things, and he may serve God devoutly by saying from his heart his customary prayer. Nor should a man ever carry his amusement to excess, and catch too much at one time; this is to destroy his future pleasure and to interfere with that of his neighbours. A good sportsman too, she adds, will busy himself in nourishing the game and destroying all vermin. So will what Walton calls “the civil, well-governed angler” escape the vices which spring from idleness, and enjoy the full delights of an elevating and noble recreation. “And all those that done after this rule shall haue the blessynge of god & saynt Petyr, whyche he theym graunte that wyth his precyous blood vs boughte.”

Just like the author begins with eloquence when comparing the fisher’s joyful life to the struggles faced by hunters, bird catchers, and trappers, the end of these rules also reflects her passion. The last two pages of the book describe her vision of the perfect angler, and it's fair to say that no more noble or accurate picture has ever been painted. She emphasizes simplicity of character, respect for others’ rights, and compassion for the less fortunate. All greed in fishing or using its gentle art for personal gain and to stock up food is equally condemned. She believes that angling should primarily serve to comfort a person and promote the health of both body and soul. Thus, she encourages anglers to mostly practice their craft alone, allowing their minds to elevate to lofty and sacred thoughts, and to serve God devoutly by expressing their usual prayers from the heart. A person should never take their enjoyment to extremes by catching too many fish at once, as this would ruin future enjoyment and disrupt that of others. She adds that a good sportsman will focus on nurturing the game and eliminating pests. In doing so, what Walton calls “the civil, well-governed angler” will avoid the vices that come from idleness and fully enjoy the uplifting and noble joy that angling provides. “And all those that done after this rule shall haue the blessynge of god & saynt Petyr, whyche he theym graunte that wyth his precyous blood vs boughte.”

“And therefore to al you that ben vertuous : gentyll : and free borne I wryte & make this symple treatyse folowynge : by whyche ye may haue the full crafte of anglynge to dysport you at your luste : to the entent that your aege maye the more floure and the more lenger to endure.”

“And so, to all of you who are virtuous, noble, and born free, I write and create this simple treatise that follows, so you can fully master the art of angling for your enjoyment, with the aim of making your life more fulfilling and longer-lasting.”

M. G. W.

M.G.W.

Alamon in his parablys sayth that a good spyryte makyth a flourynge aege / that is a fayre aege & a longe. And syth it is soo : I aske this questyon / . whi | che ben the meanes & the causes that enduce a man in to a mery spyryte. : Truly to my beste dyscrecōn it semeth good dysportes & honest gamys in whom a man Ioy | eth wythout ony repentannce after. Thenne folowyth it y^t gode dysportes & honest games ben cause of mannys fayr aege & longe life. And therfore now woll I chose of foure good dispor | tes & honeste gamys / that is to wyte : of huntynge : hawkynge : fysshynge : & foulynge. The beste to my symple dyscrecōn why | che is fysshynge : callyd Anglynge wyth a rodde : and a lyne {2} and an hoke / And therof to treate as my symple wytte may suffyce : both for the sayd reason of Salamon and also for the reason that phisyk makyth in this wyse (¶ Si tibi deficiant medici medici tibi fiant : hec tria mens leta labor & moderata dieta.
¶ Ye shall vnderstonde that this is for to saye / Yf a man lacke leche or medicyne he shall make thre thynges his leche & medycyne : and he shall nede neuer no moo. The fyrste of theym is a mery thought. The seconde is labour not outrageo. The thyr | de is dyete mesurable. Fyrste that yf a man wyll euer more be in mery thoughtes and haue a gladde spyryte : he must eschewe all contraryous company & all places of debate where he myghte haue ony occasyons of malencoly. And yf he woll haue a labour not outrageous he must thenne ordeyne him to his her | tys ease and pleasaunce wythout studye pensyfnesse or trauey | le a mery occupacyon whyche maye reioyce his herte : & in why | che his spyrytes may haue a mery delyte. And yf he woll be dy | etyd mesurably he must eschewe all places of ryotte whyche is cause of surfette and of syknesse / And he must drawe him to pla | ces of swete ayre and hungry : And ete nourishable meetes and dyffyable also.

Solomon, in his parables, says that a good spirit creates a flourishing age—that is, a beautiful and long life. Since this is true, I ask this question: what are the means and causes that lead a person to have a cheerful spirit? Truly, in my best judgment, it seems that good pastimes and honest games, in which a person enjoys themselves without any regret afterward, are essential. Therefore, it follows that good pastimes and honest games are the cause of a person's good age and long life. Now, I will choose from four good pastimes and honest games, which are: hunting, hawking, fishing, and fowling. The best of these, in my humble opinion, is fishing, referred to as angling with a rod, line, and hook. I will discuss this as best as my simple mind can manage, both for the reasons stated by Solomon and also for the reasons that physicians suggest (If you lack a doctor, make these three things your doctor: a merry mind, moderate labor, and a balanced diet). You should understand that this means: if a person lacks a doctor or medicine, they should consider three things to serve as their doctor and medicine, and they will need nothing more. The first is a cheerful thought. The second is labor that is not excessive. The third is a moderate diet. First, if a person wants to always be in cheerful thoughts and have a happy spirit, they must avoid all contrary company and all places of conflict where they might face any chance of melancholy. If they want to engage in labor that is not excessive, they must then arrange their work for their ease and pleasure without heavy study, worry, or exhausting labor, but rather a joyful activity that can make their heart rejoice, and in which their spirits can find happy delight. If they want to eat moderately, they must avoid all places of bingeing, which lead to overeating and illness. Instead, they should seek out places with fresh air and appetite, and eat nourishing and digestible foods.

Ow thenne woll I dyscryue the sayd dysportes and ga | mys to fynde the beste of theym as veryly as I ca / alle be it that the ryght noble and full worthy prynce the du | ke of Yorke late callid mayster of game hath discryued the myr | thes of huntynge lyke as I thynke to dyscryue of it and of alle the other. For huntynge as to myn entent is to laboryous / For the hunter must alwaye renne & folowe his houndes : traueyllynge & swetynge full sore. He blowyth tyll his lyppes blyster And whan he wenyth it be an hare full oft it is an hegge hogge Thus he chasyth and wote not what. He comyth home at euyn rayn beten pryckyd : and his clothes torne wete shode all myry Some hounde loste : some surbat. Suche greues & many other hapyth vnto the hunter / whyche for dyspleysaunce of theym y^t loue it I dare not reporte. Thus truly me semyth that this is not the beste dysporte and game of the sayd foure. The dyspor | te and game of hawkynge is laboryous & noyouse also as me semyth. For often the fawkener leseth his hawkes as the {3} hunter his hoūdes. Thenne is his game & his dysporte goon. Full often cryeth he & whystelyth tyll that he be ryght euyll a thur | ste. His hawke taketh a bowe and lyste not ones on hym rewar | de. whan he wolde haue her for to flee : thenne woll she bathe.
with mys fedynge she shall haue the Fronse : the Rye : the Cray and many other syknesses that brynge theym to the Sowse.
Thus by prouff this is not the beste dysporte & game of the sa | yd foure. The dysporte & game of fowlynge me semyth moost symple For in the wynter season the fowler spedyth not but in the moost hardest and coldest weder : whyche is greuous. For whan he wolde goo to his gynnes he maye not for colde. Many a gynne & many a snare he makyth. Yet soryly dooth he fare. At morn tyde in the dewe he is weete shode vnto his taylle. Many other suche I cowde tell : but drede of magre makith me for to leue. Thus me semyth that huntynge & hawkynge & also fowlynge ben so laborous and greuous that none of theym maye perfourme nor bi very meane that enduce a man to a me | ry spyryte : whyche is cause of his longe lyfe acordynge vnto y^t sayd parable of Salamon. ¶ Dowteles thee folowyth it that it must nedes be the dysporte of fysshynge wyth an angle. For all other manere of fysshyng is also laborous and greuous : often makynge folkes ful wete & colde / whyche many tymes hath be seen cause of grete Infirmytees. But the angler maye haue no colde nor no dysease nor angre / but yf he be causer hymself. For he maye not lese at the moost but a lyne or an hoke : of whyche he maye haue store plentee of his owne makynge / as this sym | ple treatyse shall teche hym. Soo thenne his losse is not greuo | us. and other greyffes maye he not haue / sauynge but yf ony fisshe breke away after that he is take on the hoke / or elles that he catche nought : whyche ben not greuous. For yf he faylle of one he maye not faylle of a nother / yf he dooth as this treatyse techyth : but yf there be nonght in the water. And yet atte the leest he hath his holsom walke and mery at his ease. a swete ay | re of the swete sauoure of the meede floures : that makyth hym hungry. He hereth the melodyous armony of fowles. He seeth the yonge swannes : heerons : duckes : cotes and many other fou | les wyth theyr brodes. / whyche me semyth better than alle the {4} noyse of honndys : the blastes of hornys and the scrye of foulis that hunters : fawkeners & foulers can make. And yf the angler take fysshe : surely thenne is there noo man merier than he is in his spyryte. ¶ Also who soo woll vse the game of anglynge : he must ryse erly. whiche thyng is prouffytable to man in this wy | se / That is to wyte : moost to the heele of his soule. For it shall cause hym to be holy. and to the heele of his body / For it shall cause hym to be hole. Also to the encrease of his goodys. For it shall make hym ryche. As the olde englysshe prouerbe sayth in this wyse. ¶ who soo woll ryse erly shall be holy helthy & zely.
¶ Thus haue I prouyd in myn entent that the dysporte & game of anglynge is the very meane & cause that enducith a man in to a mery spyryte : Whyche after the sayde parable of Salomon & the sayd doctryne of phisyk makyth a flourynge aege & a longe. And therfore to al you that ben vertuous : gentyll : and free borne I wryte & make this symple treatyse folowynge : by whyche ye may haue the full crafte of anglynge to dysport you at your luste : to the entent that your aege maye the more flou | re and the more lenger to endure.

Now, I will describe the aforementioned sports and games to find the best among them as truly as I can, even though the right noble and worthy prince, the Duke of York, formerly called Master of the Game, has described the mysteries of hunting like I intend to describe it and all the others. Hunting, to my mind, is quite laborious, as the hunter must always run and follow his hounds, toiling and sweating severely. He blows until his lips blister, and when he thinks he spots a hare, it often turns out to be a hedgehog. Thus, he chases without knowing what he’s after. He comes home in the evening soaked by rain, clothes torn, muddy shoes, some hounds lost, and some worn out. Such troubles and many others befall the hunter, which for their displeasure I dare not recount. Thus, it seems to me that this is not the best sport and game of the said four. The sport and game of hawking is also laborious and noisy, it seems to me. For often the falconer loses his hawks just as the hunter loses his hounds. Then his game and sport are gone. Frequently, he cries and whistles until he feels quite miserable. His hawk takes off and doesn’t look back at him, disregarded; when he wants her to fly, she bathes instead. With mishap, she may catch the flu, the rye, the crayfish, and many other illnesses that lead them to suffering. Thus, in truth, this is not the best sport and game of the mentioned four. The sport and game of fowling seems to me the simplest. For in winter, the fowler doesn’t succeed except in the harshest and coldest weather, which is taxing. For when he wants to go to his traps, he can’t because of the cold. He sets many traps and snares, yet he still fares poorly. By morning, in the dew, he is soaked to his waist. I could tell many other such tales, but fear of difficulties makes me refrain. Thus, it seems to me that hunting, hawking, and also fowling are so laborious and burdensome that none of them can be performed without leading a man to a gloomy spirit, which is the reason for his long life according to the said parable of Solomon. ¶ Certainly, it appears that the sport of fishing with a rod must surely be the best pastime. For all other kinds of fishing are also laborious and troublesome, often leaving people completely wet and cold, which has frequently caused serious ailments. But the angler can suffer no cold or illness unless he causes it himself. At worst, he may lose only a line or a hook, of which he can have plenty made on his own, as this simple treatise will teach him. So then, his loss isn’t grievous, and he cannot have other grievances unless some fish breaks free after it is caught on the hook, or unless he catches nothing, which isn’t grievous. For if he fails to catch one, he may still catch another if he does as this treatise instructs, unless nothing is in the water. At the least, he enjoys his wholesome walk and merry time at ease, breathing in the sweet air of fragrant meadow flowers that makes him hungry. He hears the melodious harmony of birds. He sees young swans, herons, ducks, coots, and many other birds with their fledglings, which seems better to me than all the {4} noise of hounds, the blasts of horns, and the screams of birds that hunters, falconers, and fowlers can make. And if the angler catches fish, surely there is no man happier than he is in spirit. ¶ Also, whoever wishes to partake in the game of angling must rise early, which is good for a man in this way: it is beneficial for the health of his soul, as it leads him to holiness, and for the health of his body, as it keeps him whole. It also contributes to the increase of his goods, for it will make him rich. As the old English proverb says in this manner: ¶ Whoever rises early will be holy, healthy, and zealous.
¶ Thus, I have shown that the sport and game of angling is the true means and cause that brings a man into a merry spirit, which, according to the said parable of Solomon and the doctrine of medicine, promotes a thriving old age and longevity. Therefore, to all of you who are virtuous, gentle, and freeborn, I write and create this simple treatise following, by which you may obtain the complete craft of angling to enjoy at your leisure, with the aim that your age may flourish more and endure longer.

F ye woll be crafty in anglynge : ye must fyrste lerne to make your harnays / That is to wyte your rodde : your lynes of dyuers colours. After that ye must know how ye shall angle in what place of the water : how depe : and what ti | me of day. For what manere of fysshe : in what wedyr How ma | ny impedymentes there ben in fysshynge y^t is callyd anglynge And in specyall wyth what baytys to euery dyuers fysshe in e | che moneth of the yere. How ye shall make your baytes brede where ye shall fynde theym : and how ye shall kepe theym. And for the moost crafty thynge how ye shall make youre hokes of stele & of osmonde / Some for the dubbe : and some for the flote : & the grounde. as ye shall here after al thyse fynde expressed o | penly vnto your knowlege.
¶ And how ye shall make your rodde craftly here I shall teche you. Ye shall kytte betwene Myghelmas & Candylmas a fayr staffe of a fadom and an halfe longe : & arme grete of hasyll : wy | lowe : or aspe. And bethe hym in an hote ouyn : & sette hym euyn Thenne lete hym cole & drye a moneth. Take thenne & frette {5} hym faste wyth a cockeshotecorde : and bynde hym to a fourme or an euyn square grete tree. Take thenne a plūmers wire that is euyn and streyte & sharpe at the one ende. And hete the shar | pe end in a charcole fyre tyll it be whyte : and brenne the staffe therwyth thorugh : euer streyte in the pythe at bothe endes tyll they mete. And after that brenne hym in the nether ende wyth a byrde broche / & wyth other broches eche gretter than other. & euer the grettest the laste : so that ye make your hole aye tapre wexe. Thenne lete hym lye styll and kele two dayes. Unfrette hym thee and lete hym drye in an hous roof in the smoke tyll he be thrugh drye ¶ In the same season take a fayr yerde of gre | ne hasyll & beth hym euyn & streyghte. and lete it drye with the staffe. And whan they ben drye make the yerde mete vnto the hole in the staffe : vnto halfe the length of the staffe. And to per | fourme that other halfe of the croppe. Take a fayr shote of blac | ke thor : crabbe tree : medeler. or of Ienypre kytte in the same se | ason : and well bethyd & streyghte. And frette theym togyder fe | tely : soo that the croppe maye iustly entre all in to the sayd hole. Thenne shaue your staffe & make hym tapre wexe. Thenne vyrell the staffe at bothe endes wyth longe hopis of yren or la | ton in the clennest wise wyth a pyke in the nether ende fastnyd wyth a rennynge vyce : to take in & oute youre croppe. Thenne set your croppe an handfull within the ouer ende of your staffe in suche wise that it be as bigge there as in ony other place abo | ue. Thee arme your croppe at thouer ende downe to y^e frette wyth a lyne of .vj. heeres. And dubbe the lyne and frette it fast in y^e toppe wyth a bowe to fasten on your lyne. And thus shall ye make you a rodde soo preuy that ye maye walke therwyth : and there shall noo man wyte where abowte ye goo. It woll be lyghte & full nymbyll to fysshe wyth at your luste. And for the more redynesse loo here a fygure therof in example. :

If you want to be skilled at fishing, you first need to learn how to make your tackle. That includes knowing your rod, your lines in different colors, and understanding where to fish, how deep, and at what times of day. You need to know what types of fish you’re targeting, the weather conditions, and the various challenges in fishing, which is called angling. Additionally, you should learn about baits that work for different fish in each month of the year. You should know how to make your baits, where to find them, and how to keep them. One of the most important skills is how to make your hooks from steel and osmund. Some for the bobber, and some for the bottom, as you will later find explained in detail for your understanding.
¶ And how to craft your rod, I will teach you here. You should choose a nice staff about a fathom and a half long, and as thick as your arm, made of hazel, willow, or aspen, between Michaelmas and Candlemas. Treat it in a hot oven and set it straight. Then let it cool and dry for a month. After that, tightly bind it with a whipping line and attach it to a frame or a sturdy square tree. Then take a bird's wire that is straight and sharp at one end. Heat the sharp end in a charcoal fire until it is white-hot, and burn it through the staff, straight down the center at both ends until they meet. After that, burn it at the bottom with a bird's brooch and with other brooches, each larger than the last, to make your hole fit just right. Then let it sit still for two days. Unbind it and let it dry in a smokehouse until fully dry. ¶ In the same season, take a nice green hazel rod and make it even and straight, letting it dry with the staff. When both are dry, make the rod fit into the hole in the staff, reaching half the length of the staff. Then shape that other half of the rod. Get a good length of blackthorn, crab apple, medlar, or juniper, cut in the same season, and make sure it’s well-shaped and straight. Bind them together so that the rod fits perfectly into the mentioned hole. Then shave your staff and ensure it fits just right. Finally, you’ll secure the staff at both ends with long iron or lead ferrules in the cleanest way, with a point at the bottom secured with a running vice, so you can easily add and remove your rod. Set your rod a handful's width below the top end of your staff so that it is as thick there as it is elsewhere. Bind your rod at the bottom down to where it was secured with a line of six hairs. Double the line and secure it tightly at the top with a loop to connect your line. This way, you'll have a rod that you can carry discreetly, and no one will know where you're going. It will be light and very convenient for fishing as you wish. And for easier understanding, here’s a figure for reference.

Fter that ye haue made thus your rodde : ye must lerne to coloure your lynes of here in this wyse. ¶ Fyrste ye must take of a whyte horse taylle the lengest heere and {6} fayrest that ye can fynde. And euer the rounder it be the better it is. Departe it in to .vj. partes : and euery parte ye shall colour by hymselfe in dyuers colours. As yelowe : grene : browne : tawney : russet. and duske colours. And for to make a good grene co | lour on your heer ye shall doo thus. ¶ Take smalle ale a quar | te and put it in a lytyll panne : and put therto halfe a pounde of alym. And put therto your heer : and lete it boylle softly half an houre. Thenne take out your heer and lete it drye. Thenne ta | ke a potell of water and put it in a panne. And put therin two handfull of ooldys or of wyxen. And presse it wyth a tyle stone : and lete it boylle softly half an houre. And whan it is yelow on the scume put therin your heer wyth halfe a pounde of copo | rose betyn in powdre and lete it boylle halfe a myle waye : and thenne sette it downe : and lete it kele fyue or syxe houres. The take out the heer and drye it. And it is thenne the fynest grene that is for the water. And euer the more ye put therto of copo | rose the better it is. or elles in stede of it vertgrees.
¶ A nother wyse ye maye make more brighter grene / as thus Lete woode your heer in an woodefatte a lyght plunket colour And thenne sethe hym in olde or wyxin lyke as I haue sayd : sauynge ye shall not put therto neyther coporose ue vertgrees.
¶ For to make your heer yelow dyght it wyth alym as I haue sayd before. And after that wyth oldys or wyxin wythout copo | rose or vertgrees. ¶ A nother yelow ye shal make thns. Ta | ke smalle ale a potell : and stampe thre handful of walnot leues and put togider : And put in your heer tyll that it be as depe as ye woll haue it. ¶ For to make russet heer. Take stronge lye a pynt and halfe a pounde of sote and a lytyll iuce of walnot le | uys & a quarte of alym : and put theym alle togyder in a panne and boylle theym well. And whan it is colde put in youre heer tyll it be as derke as ye woll haue it. ¶ For to make a brow | ne colour. Take a pounde of sote and a quarte of ale : and seth it wyth as many walnot leuys as ye maye. And whan they wexe blacke sette it from the fire. And put therin your heer and lete it lye styll tyll it be as browne as ye woll haue it.
¶ For to make a nother browne. Take strong ale and sote and tempre them togyder. and put therin your heer two dayes and two nyghtes and it shall be ryght a good colour. {7}
¶ For to make a tawney coloure. Take lyme and water & put theym togyder : and also put your heer therin foure or fyue hou | res. Thenne take it out and put it in a Tanners ose a day : and it shall be also fyne a tawney colour as nedyth to our purpoos
¶ The syxte parte of your heer ye shall kepe styll whyte for ly | nes for the dubbyd hoke to fysshe for the trought and graylyn | ge and for smalle lynes for to rye for the roche and the darse.

After you've made your rod, you must learn to dye your lines of hair in this way. First, take the longest and best hair from a white horse's tail that you can find. The rounder it is, the better. Divide it into six parts, and color each part separately in different colors like yellow, green, brown, tawny, russet, and dark colors. To make a good green color for your hair, do this: Take a quart of small ale and put it in a little pan, then add half a pound of alum. Add your hair and let it simmer gently for half an hour. Then take out your hair and let it dry. Next, take a pot of water and put it in a pan. Add two handfuls of oldies or wax. Press it with a tile stone and let it simmer gently for half an hour. When it becomes yellow on the surface, add your hair along with half a pound of powdered copperas, and let it boil halfway through. Afterward, set it down and let it cool for five or six hours. Then take out the hair and let it dry. This will give you the finest green color for the water. The more copperas you add, the better it gets, or you can use verdigris instead. Another way to make a brighter green is to soak your hair in a light pinkish color, then boil it in old or waxed materials as I've said, except you shouldn’t add copperas or verdigris. To dye your hair yellow, treat it with alum as previously described, and then afterward with oldies or wax without using copperas or verdigris. Another yellow can be made by taking a quart of small ale, stamping three handfuls of walnut leaves together, and putting in your hair until it reaches your desired depth. To make russet hair, take a pint and a half of strong lye, half a pound of soap, a little juice from walnut leaves, and a quart of alum. Put them all together in a pan and boil well. Once it cools, add your hair until it's as dark as you want it. To create a brown color, take a pound of soap and a quart of ale. Boil it with as many walnut leaves as you can gather. When they turn black, take it off the heat, add your hair, and let it sit until it's as brown as you desire. For another brown, take strong ale and soap, mix them together, and put your hair in for two days and two nights. It will turn out a very good color. To make a tawny color, mix lime and water and soak your hair in it for four or five hours. Then take it out and put it in a tanner's vat for a day, and it will turn a fine tawny color suitable for our purpose. The sixth part of your hair should remain white for lines used with bait hooks to fish for trout and grayling, and for smaller lines used for the roach and dace.

Han your heer is thus colourid : ye must knowe for whi | che waters and for whyche seasons they shall serue.
¶ The grene colour in all clere water from Apryll tyll Septembre. ¶ The yelowe coloure in euery clere water from Septembre tyll Nouembre : For it is lyke y^e wedys and other manere grasse whiche growyth in the waters and ryuers whan they ben broken. ¶ The russet colour seruyth all the wynter vnto the ende of Apryll as well in ryuers as in poles or lakys ¶ The browne colour seruyth for that water that is blacke de | disshe in ryuers or in other waters. ¶ The tawney colour for those waters that ben hethy or morysshe.

Here’s how your bait should be colored: you need to know which baits to use with which waters and for which seasons.
¶ The green color works well in all clear water from April to September. ¶ The yellow color is effective in all clear water from September to November: it resembles the weeds and other types of grass that grow in the waters and rivers when they’re disturbed. ¶ The russet color is suitable for all winter until the end of April, in rivers as well as in ponds or lakes. ¶ The brown color is for water that is dark or murky in rivers or other waters. ¶ The tawny color is for waters that are muddy or marshy.

Ow must ye make youre lynes in this wyse. Fyrste loke that ye haue an Instrument lyke vnto this fygure portrayed folowynge. Thenne take your heer & kytte of the smalle ende an hondfull large or more / For it is neyther stronge nor yet sure. Thenne torne the toppe to the taylle eue | ryche ylyke moche. And departe it in to thre partyes. Thenne knytte euery part at the one ende by hymself. And at the other ende knytte all thre togyder : and put y^e same ende in that other ende of your Instrument that hath but one clyft. And sett that other ende faste wyth the wegge foure fyngers in alle shorter than your heer. Thenne twyne euery warpe one waye & ylyke moche : and fasten theym in thre clyftes ylyke streyghte. Take thenne out that other ende and twyne it that waye that it woll desyre ynough. Thenne streyne it a lytyll : and knytte it for vn | doynge : and that is good. And for to knowe to make your Instrument : loo here it is in fygure. And it shall be made of tree sauynge the bolte vnderneth : whiche shall be of yren. {8}

Now you must make your lines like this. First, make sure you have an instrument like the one shown in the following figure. Then take your hair and cut off a handful from the small end or more, for it is neither strong nor secure. Then turn the top to the tail, just like that, and divide it into three parts. Then tie each part at one end by itself. At the other end, tie all three together and put that end into the other end of your instrument that has only one split. And set the other end tightly with the edge four fingers shorter than your hair. Then twist each warp one way and the same amount. Secure them in three splits evenly. Then take out that other end and twist it in the direction it will naturally want to go. Then stretch it a little and tie it to prevent untying, and that is good. And to know how to make your instrument, look here it is in figure. It shall be made of wood except for the bolt underneath, which shall be of iron. {8}

Han ye haue as many of the lynkys as ye suppose wol suffyse for the length of a lyne : thenne must ye knytte theym togyder wyth a water knotte or elles a duchys knotte. And whan your knotte is knytte : kytte of y^e voyde shor | te endes a strawe brede for the knotte. Thus shal ye make you | re lynes fayr & fyne : and also ryght sure for ony manere fysshe. ¶ And by cause that ye sholde knowe bothe the water knotte & also the duchys knotte : loo theym here in fygure caste vnto the lyknesse of the draughte.

If you have as many links as you think are enough for the length of a line, then you need to tie them together with a water knot or a Dutch knot. Once your knot is tied, cut off the excess short ends leaving a straw's width for the knot. This will make your lines neat and fine, and also very secure for any type of fishing. ¶ To help you learn both the water knot and the Dutch knot, look at the figures here that show how to do them correctly.

E shall vnderstonde that the moost subtyll & hardyste crafte in makynge of your harnays is for to make your hokis. For whoos makyng ye must haue fetefyles. thy and sharpe & smalle beten : A semy cla of yren : a bender : a payr of longe & smalle tongys : an harde knyfe somdeale thycke : an anuelde : & a lytyll hamour. ¶ And for smalle fysshe ye shall make your hokes of the smalest quarell nedlys that ye can fyn | de of stele / & in this wyse. ¶ Ye shall put the quarell in a redde charkcole fyre tyll that it be of the same colour that the fyre is. Thenne take hym out and lete hym kele : and ye shal fynde him well alayd for to fyle. Thenne reyse the berde wyth your knyfe / and make the poynt sharpe. Thenne alaye hym agayn : for elles he woll breke in the bendyng. Thenne bende hym lyke to the bende fyguryd herafter in example. And gretter hokes ye shall mabe in the same wyse of gretter nedles : as broderers nedlis : or taylers : or shomakers nedlis spere poyntes / & {9} of shomakers nalles in especyall the beste for grete fysshe. and that they bende atte the poynt whan they ben assayed / for elles they ben not good ¶ Whan the hoke is bendyd bete the hynder ende abrode : & fyle it smothe for fretynge of thy lyne. Thenne put it in the fyre agayn : and yeue it an easy redde hete. Thenne sodaynly quenche it in water : and it woll be harde and stronge.
And for to haue knowlege of your Instrumentes : lo theym here in fygure portrayd.

You should understand that the most skillful and challenging task in making your gear is to create your hooks. For this, you need proper tools. A sharp and small hammer, a piece of iron, a bender, a pair of long and thin tongs, a fairly thick hard knife, a file, and a little hammer. ¶ For small fish, you should make your hooks from the smallest quarrel needles that you can find made of steel. ¶ You should place the needle in a red charcoal fire until it’s the same color as the fire. Then take it out and let it cool; you will find it easy to file. Next, shape the end with your knife to make the point sharp. Then file it again; otherwise, it will break when bending. Bend it like the shape shown in the example afterward. You’ll make larger hooks in the same way using larger needles, such as those used by broderers, tailors, shoemakers, or especially the best shoemakers' nails for big fish. Ensure they bend at the point when tested; otherwise, they aren’t good. ¶ Once the hook is bent, file the back end smooth to avoid snagging your line. Then put it in the fire again and give it a gentle red heat. Finally, quickly cool it in water, and it will become hard and strong.
And to have knowledge of your tools: here they are portrayed in figure.

¶ Hamour. Knyfe. Pynsons. Clam̄ Wegge. Fyle. Wreste. & Anuelde.

Han ye haue made thus your hokis : thenne must ye set theym on your lynes acordynge in gretnesse & strength in this wyse. ¶ Ye shall take smalle redde silke. & yf it be for a grete hoke thee double it : not twynyd. And elles for sma | le hokys lete it be syngle : & therwyth frette thycke the lyne the | re as the one ende of your hoke shal sytte a strawe brede. The sette there your hoke : & frette hym wyth the same threde y^e two partes of the lengthe that shall be frette in all. And whan ye co | me to the thyrde parte thenne torne the ende of your lyne aga | yn vpon the frette dowble. & frette it so dowble that other thyr | de parte. Thenne put your threde in at the hose twys or thries & lete it goo at eche tyme rounde abowte the yerde of your hoke. Thenne wete the hose & and drawe it tyll that it be faste. And lo | ke that your lyne lye euermore wythin your hokys : & not with | out. Thenne kytte of the lynys ende & the threde as nyghe as ye maye : sauynge the frette.

Once you have made your hooks, you need to attach them to your lines according to size and strength like this. ¶ You should take small red silk. If it's for a large hook, double it: don’t twist it. For small hooks, let it be single: and then wrap the line thickly there as one end of your hook will sit at the width of a straw. The set your hook there: and wrap it with the same thread for the two parts of the length that will be wrapped entirely. And when you reach the third part, then turn the end of your line back onto the wrap doubled. And wrap it so that it’s double for the other third part. Then put your thread through the hose twice or three times and let it go each time around the shaft of your hook. Then wet the hose and pull it until it is tight. And make sure that your line always lies within your hooks: and not outside. Then cut off the end of the line and the thread as close as you can: saving the wrap.

Ow ye knowe wyth how grete hokys ye shall angle to euery fysshe : now I woll tell you wyth how many heeres ye shall to euery manere of fisshe. ¶ For the menow wyth a lyne of one heere. For the waxyng roche the bleke & the {10} gogyn & the ruffe wy^t a lyne of two heeris. For the darse & the grete roche wyth a lyne of thre heeres. For the perche : the floū | der & bremet with foure heeres. For the cheuen chubbe : the bre | me : the tenche & the ele wyth .vj. heeres. For the troughte : gray | lynge : barbyll & the grete cheuyn with .ix. heeres. For the grete troughte wyth .xij. heeres : For the samon with .xv. heeres. And for the pyke wyth a chalke lyne made browne with your brow | ne colour aforsayd : armyd with a wyre. as ye shal here herafter whan I speke of the pyke.
¶ Your lynes must be plumbid wyth lede. And ye shall wyte y^t the nexte pūbe vnto the hoke shall be therfro a large fote & mo | re / And euery plumbe of a quantyte to the gretnes of the lyne. There be thre manere of plūbis for a grounde lyne rennynge. And for the flote set vpon the grounde lyne lyenge .x. plumbes Ioynynge all togider. On the grounde lyne rennynge .ix. or .x. smalle. The flote plūbe shall be so heuy y^t the leest plucke of ony fysshe maye pull it downe in to y^e water. And make your plū | bis rounde & smothe y^t they stycke not on stonys or on wedys. And for the more vnderstondynge lo theym here in fygure.

Now you know how great hooks you need to catch each fish. Now I will tell you how many hooks you should use for each type of fish. ¶ For the minnow, use a line with one hook. For the growing roach, the bleak, the {10} goby, and the ruffe, use a line with two hooks. For the dace and the large roach, use a line with three hooks. For the perch, the flounder, and bream, use four hooks. For the chub, bream, tench, and eel, use six hooks. For the trout, grayling, barbel, and the large chub, use nine hooks. For the large trout, use twelve hooks; for the salmon, use fifteen hooks. And for the pike, use a chalk line made brown with your brown coloring mentioned earlier, armed with a wire, as you’ll learn later when I talk about the pike.
¶ Your lines must be weighted with lead. You should know that the next weight from the hook should be about a foot away and more. And each weight should be appropriate to the size of the line. There are three types of weights for a running ground line. And for the float set on the ground line, place ten weights all together. On the running ground line, use nine or ten small weights. The float weight should be heavy enough that even the slightest tug from any fish can pull it down into the water. Make your weights round and smooth so they don’t get stuck on stones or weeds. And for better understanding, see them illustrated here.

The grounde lyne rennynge The grounde lyne lyenge. The flote lyne The lyne for perche or tenche. The lyne for a pyke : ¶ Pln̄be : Corke armyd wyth wyre

Henne shall ye make your flotys in this wyse. Take a fayr corke that is clene without many holes. and bore it {11} thrugh wyth a smalle hote yren : And putt therin a penne iuste and streyghte. Euer the more flote the gretter penne & the gre | ter hole. Thenne shape it grete in the myddis and smalle at bo | the endys. and specyally sharpe in the nether ende / and lyke vn | to the fygures folowynge. And make theym smothe on a gryn | dyng stone : or on a tyle stone. ¶ And loke that the flote for one heer be nomore than a pese. For two heeres : as a beene. for twel | ue heeres : as a walnot. And soo euery lyne after the proporcōn. ¶ All manere lynes that ben not for the groūde must haue flo | tes. And the rennynge grounde lyne must haue a flote. The ly | enge grounde lyne wythout flote.

To create your floats, do the following. Take a nice, clean cork that doesn't have too many holes, and bore it through with a small hot iron. Then insert a straight pen into it. The larger the float, the bigger the pen and hole. Shape it so that it’s wider in the middle and narrower at both ends, especially making the bottom end sharp, similar to the following shapes. Smooth it out on a grinding stone or a tile stone. Make sure that the float for one hair is no larger than a pea. For two hairs, it should be the size of a bean, and for twelve hairs, like a walnut. And so on for each line according to its proportion. All types of lines that aren’t for the ground must have floats. The running ground line must have a float, while the lying ground line doesn’t need one.

Ow I haue lernyd you to make all your harnays. Here I woll tell you how ye shall angle. ¶ Ye shall angle : vnderstonde that there is .vi. manere of anglyng. That one is at the grounde for the troughte and other fisshe. A nother is at y^e grounde at an arche / or at a stange where it ebbyth and flowyth : for bleke : roche. and darse. The thyrde is wyth a flote for all manere of fysshe. The fourth wyth a menow for y^e troughte wythout plumbe or flote. The fyfth is rennynge in y^t same wyse for roche and darse wyth one or two heeres & a flye. The syxte is wyth a dubbyd hoke for the troughte & graylyng ¶ And for the fyrste and pryncypall poynt in anglynge : kepe y^e euer fro the water fro the sighte of the fysshe : other ferre on the londe : or ellys behynde a busshe that the fysshe se you not. For yf they doo they wol not byte. ¶ Also loke that ye shadow not the water as moche as ye may. For it is that thynge that woll soone fraye the fysshe. And yf a fysshe be afrayed he woll not bi | te longe after. For alle manere fysshe that fede by the grounde ye shall angle for theim to the botom. soo that your hokys shall renne or lye on the grounde. And for alle other fysshe that fede {12} aboue ye shall angle to theym in the myddes of the water or somdeale byneth or somdeale aboue. For euer the gretter fisshe the nerer he lyeth the botom of the water. And euer the smaller fysshe the more he smymmyth aboue. ¶ The thyrde good poynt is whan the fysshe bytyth that ye be not to hasty to smyte nor to late / For ye must abide tyll ye suppose that the bayte be ferre in the mouth of the fysshe / and thenne abyde noo longer. And this is for the groūde. ¶ And for the flote whan ye se it pul | lyd softly vnder the water : or elles caryed vpon the water softly : thenne smyte. And loke that ye neuer ouersmyte the strengthe of your lyne for brekynge. ¶ And yf it fortune you to smyte a grete fysshe wyth a smalle harnays : thenne ye must lede hym in the water and labour him there tyll he be drownyd and ouercome. Thenne take hym as well as ye can or maye. and euer bewaar that ye holde not ouer the strengthe of your lyne. And as moche as ye may lete hym not come out of your lynes ende streyghte from you : But kepe hym euer vnder the rodde / and euermore holde hym streyghte : soo that your lyne may sus | teyne and beere his lepys and his plungys wyth the helpe of your croppe & of your honde.

Now I've taught you how to make all your equipment. Here I'll explain how you should fish. ¶ You should know that there are six methods of fishing. The first is from the bottom for trout and other fish. Another is from the bottom in a pool or a stream where the water ebbs and flows for bleak, rock, and dace. The third is using a float for all types of fish. The fourth is with a minnow for trout without weights or floats. The fifth is running in the same way for rock and dace with one or two hairs and a fly. The sixth is with a double hook for trout and grayling. ¶ For the first and most important rule in fishing: always keep yourself out of sight from the fish. Stay far back on land, or hide behind a bush so the fish can't see you. If they do, they won't bite. ¶ Also, avoid casting shadows on the water as much as you can. This will easily scare the fish away. If a fish is scared, it won’t bite for long after. For all fish that feed near the bottom, fish with your hooks running or lying on the ground. For all other fish that feed above, fish in the middle of the water or somewhat below or above. Generally, the bigger the fish, the closer it is to the bottom of the water. And the smaller the fish, the more it swims near the surface. ¶ The third important point is when the fish bites, don’t be too quick to strike or too slow. You must wait until you think the bait is far enough in the fish’s mouth before you strike. And this applies to bottom fishing. ¶ For float fishing, when you see it gently pulled under the water or moving softly on the surface, then strike. Make sure never to overstrike the strength of your line to avoid breaking. ¶ If you happen to hook a big fish with light gear, you must lead it in the water and tire it out until it's worn down. Then take it as best as you can. Always be careful not to exceed the strength of your line. As much as possible, let it not come out of the line's end straight from you. Keep it under your rod and always keep it straight, so your line can support and absorb its leaps and dives with the help of your grip and your hand.

Ere I woll declare vnto you in what place of the water ye shall angle. Ye shall angle in a pole or in a stondinge water in euery place where it is ony thynge depe. The | re is not grete choyse of ony places where it is ony thynge de | pe in a pole. For it is but a pryson to fysshe. and they lyue for y^e more parte in hungre lyke prisoners : and therfore it is the lesse maystry to take theym. But in a ryuer ye shall angle in euery place where it is depe and clere by the grounde : as grauell or claye wythout mudde or wedys. And in especyall yf that there be a manere whyrlynge of water or a couert. As an holow ban | ke : or grete rotys of trees : or longe wedes fletyng aboue in the water where the fysshe maye couere and hyde theymself at certayn tymes whan they lyste Also it is good for to angle in depe styffe stremys and also in fallys of waters and weares : and in floode gatys and mylle pyttes. And it is good for to angle where as the water restyth by the banke : and where the streme rennyth nyghe there by : and is depe and clere by the grounde {13} and in ony other placys where ye may se ony fyssh houe or ha | ne ony fedynge.

Now I will tell you where to fish in the water. You should fish in a pond or in still water anywhere it's deep. There isn't much choice of spots where it's deep in a pond. It's like a prison for fish, and they mostly live in hunger like prisoners, so it's easier to catch them. But in a river, you should fish anywhere that's deep and clear on the bottom, like gravel or clay without mud or weeds. It’s especially good if there’s some swirling water or cover, like a hollow bank, big tree roots, or long weeds floating on the surface where fish can hide at certain times when they want. It's also good to fish in deep, strong currents and in falls of water and weirs, as well as in floodgates and mill ponds. It's effective to fish where the water is calm by the bank and where the current runs nearby and is deep and clear on the bottom {13} and in any other places where you might see fish homes or where they might be feeding.

Ow ye shall wyte what tyme of the daye ye shall angle ¶ From the begynnynge of May vntyll it be Septem | bre the bytynge tyme is erly by the morowe from foure of y^e clocke vnto eyghte of the clocke. And at after none from foure of the clocke vnto eyghte of the clocke : but not soo good as is in the mornynge. And yf it be a colde whystelyng wynde and a derke lowrynge daye. For a derke daye is moche better to angle in than a clere daye. ¶ From the begynnynge of Sep | tembre vnto the ende of Apryll spare noo tyme of the daye :
¶ Also many pole fysshes woll byte beste in the none tyde.
¶ And yf ye se ony tyme of the daye the trought or graylynge lepe : angle to hym wyth a dubbe acordynge to the same month And where the water ebbyth and flowyth the fysshe woll byte in some place at the ebbe : and in some place at the flood. After y^t they haue restynge behynde stangnys and archys of brydgys and other suche manere places.

Now you shall know what time of day you should fish. From the beginning of May until September, the best time to fish is early in the morning from four o'clock until eight. Then again after noon from four o'clock until eight, but it's not as good as in the morning. And if there is a cold, whistling wind and a dark, gloomy day, a dark day is much better for fishing than a clear day. From the beginning of September until the end of April, don't skip any time of day: Also, many coarse fish will bite best at noon. And if you see anytime during the day the trout or grayling leap, fish for them with a double setup according to the same month. Where the water ebbs and flows, fish will bite in some places at the ebb and in others at the flood. After that, they rest behind stagnant areas and arches of bridges and other such places.

Ere ye shall wyte in what weder ye shall angle. as I sa | yd before in a derke lowrynge daye whanne the wynde blowyth softly. And in somer season whan it is brennyn | ge hote thenne it is nought. ¶ From Septembre vnto Apryll in a fayr sonny daye is ryght good to angle. And yf the wynde in that season haue ony parte of the Oryent : the wedyr thenne is nought. And whan it is a grete wynde. And whan it snowith reynyth or hayllyth. or is a grete tempeste / as thondyr or ligh | tenynge : or a swoly hote weder : thenne it is noughte for to angle.

Before you decide when to fish, pay attention to the weather. As I mentioned earlier, on a dark, cloudy day when the wind is blowing softly, it's a good time. During the summer, when it's blazing hot, you won't have much luck. ¶ From September to April, a nice sunny day is perfect for fishing. If the wind has any easterly direction during that time, the weather won't be good for fishing. Also, if it's very windy, or if it's snowing, raining, hailing, or a severe storm with thunder or lightning, or extremely hot weather, then it's definitely not a good time to fish.

Ow shall ye wyte that there ben twelue manere of ympedymentes whyche cause a man to take noo fysshe. w^t | out other comyn that maye casuelly happe. ¶ The fyrst is yf your harnays be not mete nor fetly made. The seconde is yf your baytes be not good nor fyne. The thyrde is yf that ye angle not in bytynge tyme. The fourth is yf that the fysshe be frayed w^t the syghte of a man. The fyfth yf the water be very thycke : whyte or redde of ony floode late fallen. The syxte yf the fysshe styre not for colde. The seuenth yf that the wedyr {14} be hote. The eyght yf it rayne. The nynthe yf it hayll or snow falle. The tenth is yf it be a tempeste. The enleuenth is yf it be a grete wynde. The twelfyfth yf the wynde be in the Eest / and that is worste For comynly neyther wynter nor somer y^e fysshe woll not byte thenne. The weste and northe wyndes ben good but the south is beste.

How will you know that there are twelve types of obstacles that cause a person not to catch any fish, apart from those that may happen by chance? ¶ The first is if your gear is not suitable or well-made. The second is if your bait is not good or effective. The third is if you are not fishing at the right time. The fourth is if the fish are scared by the sight of a person. The fifth is if the water is very murky—white or red from recent flooding. The sixth is if the fish are not moving due to the cold. The seventh is if the weather is hot. The eighth is if it rains. The ninth is if it hails or snows. The tenth is if there is a storm. The eleventh is if there is a strong wind. The twelfth is if the wind is coming from the east, which is the worst. Because generally, during winter or summer, the fish will not bite then. Wind from the west and north is good, but wind from the south is best.

Nd now I haue tolde you how to make your harnays : and how ye shall fysshe therwyth in al poyntes Reason woll that ye knowe wyth what baytes ye shall angle to euery manere of fysshe in euery moneth of the yere / whyche is all the effecte of the crafte. And wythout whyche baytes know | en well by you all your other crafte here toforn auayllyth you not to purpose. For ye can not brynge an hoke in to a fyssh mo | uth wythout a bayte. Whiche baytes for euery manere of fyssh and for euery moneth here folowyth in this wyse.

And now I've explained to you how to make your gear and how you should fish with it in every aspect. Reason dictates that you know which baits to use to catch every type of fish in each month of the year, as this is the essence of the craft. Without knowing these baits, all the other skills you've learned before won't be much help. You can't get a hook into a fish's mouth without a bait. Here are the baits for every type of fish and for every month presented as follows.

Or by cause that the Samon is the moost stately fyssh that ony man maye angle to in fresshe water. Therfore I purpose to begy at hym. ¶ The samon is a gentyll fysshe : but he is comborous for to take. For comynly he is but in depe places of grete ryuers. And for the more parte he holdyth the myddys of it : that a man maye not come at hym. And he is in season from Marche vnto Myghelmas. ¶ In whyche season ye shall angle to hym wyth thyse baytes whan ye maye gete theym. Fyrste wyth a redde worme in the begynnynge & endynge of the season. And also wyth a bobbe that bredyth in a dunghyll. And specyally wyth a souerayn bayte that bredyth on a water docke. ¶ And he bytith not at the grounde : but at y^e flote. Also ye may take hym : but it is seldom seen with a dubbe at suche tyme as whan he lepith in lyke fourme & manere as ye doo take a troughte or a gryalynge. And thyse baytes ben well prouyd baytes for the samon.

Or because the salmon is the most impressive fish that anyone can catch in freshwater. Therefore, I plan to fish for him. ¶ The salmon is a noble fish, but he is difficult to catch. Generally, he is found in deep parts of large rivers. Most often, he stays in the middle of these areas, making it hard for anyone to reach him. He is in season from March to Michaelmas. ¶ During this season, you can fish for him using the following baits when you can get them. First, use a red worm at the beginning and end of the season. Also, use a bait that grows in a dung heap. And especially with a prized bait that grows on a water dock. ¶ He doesn't bite at the bottom but rather at the surface. You can catch him, but it’s rare to do so with a double lure at times when he jumps, similar to how you catch a trout or a grayling. These baits are well-known for catching salmon.

He Troughte for by cause he is a right deyntous fyssh and also a ryght feruente byter we shall speke nexte of hym. He is in season fro Marche vnto Myghelmas. He is on clene grauely groūde & in a streme. Ye may angle to hym {15} all tymes wyth a grounde lyne lyenge or rennynge : sauyng in lepynge tyme. and thenne wyth a dubbe. And erly wyth a rennynge grounde lyne. and forth in the daye wyth a flote lyne.
¶ Ye shall angle to hym in Marche wyth a menew hangyd on your hoke by the nether nesse wythout flote or plumbe : drawynge vp & downe in the streme tyll ye fele hym taste. ¶ In the same tyme angle to hym wyth a groūde lyne with a redde wor | me for the moost sure. ¶ In Aprill take the same baytes : & also Inneba other wyse namyd .vij. eyes. Also the canker that bredyth in a grete tree and the redde snayll. ¶ In May take y^e sto | ne flye and the bobbe vnder the cowe torde and the sylke worme : and the bayte that bredyth on a fer leyf. ¶ In Iuyn take a redde worme & nyppe of the heed : and put on thyn hoke a codworme byforn. ¶ In Iuyll take the grete redde worme and the codworme togyder. ¶ In August take a flesshe flye & the grete redde worme and the fatte of the bakon : and bynde abowte thy hoke. ¶ In Septembre take the redde worme and the menew. ¶ In Octobre take the same : for they ben specyall for the trought all tymes of the yere. From Aprill tyll Septembre y^e trough lepyth. thenne angle to hym wyth a dubbyd hoke acordyn | ge to the moneth / whyche dubbyd hokys ye shall fynde in then | de of this treatyse; and the monethys wyth theym :

He’s a sought-after fish because he's truly a delicacy and also a very active fighter, so we’ll talk about him next. He’s in season from March to Michaelmas. He thrives in clean gravel bottoms and in streams. You can fish for him {15} at all times with a line either lying or running: except during the jumping season. Then use a double line. Early in the day, use a running line, and later in the day, use a float line.
¶ In March, fish for him with bait hung on your hook from below without a float or weight: pull it up and down in the stream until you feel him nibble. ¶ At the same time, fish for him with a ground line using a red worm for the best results. ¶ In April, use the same baits: also try other baits called seven eyes, the canker that grows in large trees, and the red snail. ¶ In May, use the stone fly, the bob under the cow dung, and the silk worm: and the bait that grows on a fer leaf. ¶ In June, use a red worm and nip off the head: and put a cod worm on your hook first. ¶ In July, use the large red worm and the cod worm together. ¶ In August, use a flesh fly, the large red worm, and some bacon fat: and tie it around your hook. ¶ In September, use the red worm and the menew. ¶ In October, use the same, as they are special bait for trout throughout the year. From April to September, the trout are jumping, so fish for them with a double hook according to the month – you'll find these double hooks at the end of this treatise, along with the months associated with them.

He grayllynge by a nother name callyd vmbre ia a delycyous fysshe to mannys mouthe. And ye maye take hym lyke as ye doo the trought. And thyse ben his bay | tes. ¶ In Marche & in Apryll the redde worme. ¶ In May the grene worme : a lytyll breyled worme : the docke canker. and the hawthorn worme. ¶ In Iune the bayte that bredyth betwene the tree & the barke of an oke. ¶ In Iuyll a bayte that bredyth on a fer leyf : and the grete redde worme. And nyppe of the he | de : and put on your hoke a codworme before. ¶ In August the redde worme : and a docke worme. And al the yere after a reddde worme.

The grayling, also known as umber, is a delicious fish for people to eat. You can catch it just like you do with trout. Here’s what you can use for bait: ¶ In March and April, use the red worm. ¶ In May, use the green worm: a little wriggly worm, the dock canker, and the hawthorn worm. ¶ In June, the bait that grows between the tree and the bark of an oak. ¶ In July, a bait that grows on a fern leaf, and the big red worm. Also, pinch off the head and put a codworm on your hook first. ¶ In August, use the red worm and a dock worm. And all year round, you can use the red worm.

He barbyll is a swete fysshe / but it is a quasy meete & a peryllous for mannys body. For comynly he yeuyth an introduxion to y^e Febres. And yf he be eten rawe : he maye be cause of mannys dethe : whyche hath oft be seen Thyse {16} be his baytes. ¶ In Marche & in Apryll take fayr fresshe che | se : and laye it on a borde & kytte it in small square pecys of the lengthe of your hoke. Take thenne a candyl & brenne it on the ende at the poynt of your hoke tyll it be yelow. And thee byn | de it on your hoke with fletchers sylke : and make it rough lyke a welbede. This bayte is good all the somer season. ¶ In May & Iune take y^e hawthor worme & the grete redde worme. and nyppe of the heed. And put on your hoke a codworme before. & that is a good bayte. In Iuyll take the redde worme for cheyf & the hawthor worme togyd^r. Also the water docke leyf wor | me & the hornet worme togyder. ¶ In August & for all the yere take the talowe of a shepe & softe chese : of eche ylyke moche : and a lytyll hony & grynde or stampe theym togyd^r longe. and tempre it tyll it be tough. And put therto floure a lytyll & make it on smalle pellettys. And y^t is a good bayte to angle wyth at the grounde And loke that it synke in the water. or ellys it is not good to this purpoos.

Barbel is a sweet fish, but it's tricky to catch and can be dangerous for the human body. Usually, it introduces you to fevers. If eaten raw, it can lead to death, which has often been seen. These are its hooks. ¶ In March and April, take fresh cheese, lay it on a board, and cut it into small square pieces the length of your hook. Then take a candle and melt it at the end of your hook until it turns yellow. And then bind it to your hook with fishing line and make it rough like a welter. This bait works well all summer. ¶ In May and June, take the hawthorn worm and the large red worm, pinch off the head, and put a codworm on the hook first. That makes for good bait. In July, use the red worm for the main bait along with the hawthorn worm together. Also, the water dock leaf worm and the hornet worm together. ¶ In August and all year round, take mutton tallow and soft cheese in equal amounts, add a little honey, and grind or mash them together until it's tough. Add a little flour to it and make small pellets. That makes good bait for bottom fishing. Make sure it sinks in the water; otherwise, it's not suitable for this purpose.

He carpe is a deyntous fysshe : but there ben but fewe in Englonde. And therfore I wryte the lasse of hym. He is an euyll fysshe to take. For he is soo stronge enarmyd in the mouthe that there maye noo weke harnays holde hym. And as touchynge his baytes I haue but lytyll knowlege of it And me were loth to wryte more than I knowe & haue prouyd But well I wote that the redde worme & the menow ben good baytys for hym at all tymes as I haue herde saye of persones credyble & also founde wryten in bokes of credence.

The carp is a delicious fish, but there are only a few in England. That's why I write less about it. It's a tough fish to catch because it's so strong that no weak tackle can hold it. As for its bait, I have little knowledge about that, and I would be reluctant to write more than I know and have tried. But I do know that the red worm and the minnow are good baits for it at all times, as I’ve heard from trustworthy people and found written in credible books.

He cheuyn is a stately fysshe & his heed is a deyty morsell. There is noo fysshe soo strongly enarmyd wyth sca | lys on the body. And bi cause he is a stronge byter he ha | the the more baytes / whiche ben thyse. ¶ In Marche the redde worme at the grounde : For comynly thenne he woll byte there at all tymes of y^e yere yf he be ony thinge hungry. ¶ In Apryll the dyche canker that bredith in the tree. A worme that bredith betwene the rynde & the tree of an oke The redde worme : and the yonge frosshys whan the fete ben kyt of. Also the stone flye the bobbe vnder the cowe torde : the redde snaylle. ¶ In May y^e {17} bayte that bredyth on the osyer leyf & the docke canker togyd^r vpon your hoke. Also a bayte that bredyth on a fer leyf : y^e cod | worme. and a bayte that bredyth on an hawthor. And a bayte that bredyth on an oke leyf & a sylke worme & a codworme togyder. ¶ I Iune take the creket & the dorre & also a red worme : the heed kytte of & a codworme before : and put theym on y^e hoke. Also a bayte in the osyer leyf : yonge frosshys the thre-fete kitte of by the body : & the fourth by the knee. The bayte on the hawthor & the codworme togyder & a grubbe that bredyth in a dunghyll : and a grete greshop. ¶ In Iuyll the greshop & the humbylbee in the medow. Also yonge bees & yonge hornettes. Also a grete brended flye that bredith in pathes of medowes & the flye that is amonge pysmeers hyllys. ¶ In August take wortwormes & magotes vnto Myghelmas. ¶ In Septembre the redde worme : & also take the baytes whan ye may gete the | ym : that is to wyte / Cheryes : yonge myce not heeryd : & the hon | ie combe.

He is a stately fish, and his head is a tasty morsel. There is no fish as heavily armed with scales on the body. And because he is such a strong biter, he has more bait options, which are these. ¶ In March, the red worm from the ground: because generally, he will bite there at any time of the year if he is at all hungry. ¶ In April, the ditch canker that grows in trees. A worm that grows between the bark and the oak tree, the red worm; and the young frogs when their feet are clipped. Also, the stone fly, the bob under the cow dung; the red snail. ¶ In May, the bait that grows on the osier leaf and the dock canker together on your hook. Also, a bait that grows on a fern leaf: the cod worm. And a bait that grows on a hawthorn leaf. And a bait that grows on an oak leaf, and a silky worm and a codworm together. ¶ I In June, take the cricket and the dew and also a red worm: the head clipped off and a codworm in front: and put them on the hook. Also, a bait on the osier leaf: young frogs with three legs clipped off by the body: and the fourth by the knee. The bait on the hawthorn and the codworm together and a grub that grows in a dung pile: and a great grasshopper. ¶ In July, the grasshopper and the humble bee in the meadow. Also, young bees and young hornets. Also, a large black fly that breeds in meadow paths and the fly that is among the small hills. ¶ In August, take wireworms and maggots up to Michaelmas. ¶ In September, the red worm: and also take the baits when you can get them: that includes cherries; young mice not yet furred; and the honeycomb.

He breeme is a noble fysshe & a deyntous. And ye shall angle for hym from Marche vnto August wyth a redde worme : & thee wyth a butter flye & a grene flye. & with a bayte that bredyth amonge grene rede : and a bayte that bre | dyth in the barke of a deed tree. ¶ And for bremettis : take mag | gotes. ¶ And fro that tyme forth all the yere after take the red worme : and in the ryuer browne breede. Moo baytes there ben but they ben not easy & therfore I lete theym passe ouer.

The bream is a noble fish and a delicacy. You should fish for it from March to August using a red worm; and also with a butterfly and a green fly. Additionally, use bait that grows among the green reeds and bait that develops in the bark of a dead tree. ¶ For bream, use maggots. ¶ After that time, for the rest of the year, continue to use the red worm and in the river, brown bread. There are more baits available, but they aren’t easy to find, so I’ll skip them.

Tenche is a good fyssh : and heelith all manere of other fysshe that ben hurte yf they maye come to hym. He is the most parte of the yere in the mudde. And he styryth moost in Iune & Iuly : and in other seasons but lytyll. He is an euyll byter. his baytes ben thyse. For all the yere browne bree | de tostyd wyth hony in lyknesse of a butteryd loof : and the gre | te redde worme. And as for cheyf take the blacke blood in y^e her | te of a shepe & floure and hony. And tempre theym all togyder somdeale softer than paast : & anoynt therwyth the redde worme : bothe for this fysshe & for other. And they woll byte moche the better therat at all tymes.
¶ The perche is a daynteuous fysshe & passynge holsom and {18} a free bytyng. Thise ben his baytes. In Marche the redde wor | me. In Aprill the bobbe vnder the cowe torde. In May the slo | thor worme & the codworme. In Iune the bayte that bredith in an olde fallen oke & the grete canker. In Iuyll the bayte that bredyth on the osyer leyf & the bobbe that bredeth on the dung | hyll : and the hawthor worme & the codworme. In August the redde worme & maggotes. All the yere after the red worme as for the beste.
¶ The roche is an easy fysshe to take : And yf he be fatte & pen | nyd thenne is he good meete. & thyse ben his baytes. In Marche the most redy bayte is the red worme. In Apryll the bobbe vnder the cowe torde. In May the bayte y^t bredyth on the oke leyf & the bobbe in the dunghyll. In Iune the bayte that bredith on the osyer & the codworme. In Iuyll hous flyes. & the bayte that bredith on an oke. and the notworme & mathewes & maggotes tyll Myghelmas. And after y^t the fatte of bakon.
¶ The dace is a gentyll fysshe to take. & yf it be well refet the is it good meete. In Marche his bayte is a redde worme. In Apryll the bobbe vnder the cowe torde. In May the docke can | ker & the bayte on y^e slothor and on the oken leyf. In Iune the codworme & the bayte on the osyer and the whyte grubbe in y^e dunghyll. In Iuyll take hous flyes & flyes that brede in pysmer hylles : the codworme & maggotes vnto Mighelmas. And yf the water be clere ye shall take fysshe whan other take none And fro that tyme forth doo as ye do for the roche. For comyn | ly theyr bytynge & theyr baytes ben lyke.
¶ The bleke is but a feble fysshe. yet he is holsom His baytes from Marche to Myghelmas be the same that I haue wryten before. For the roche & darse sauynge all the somer season asmo | che as ye maye angle for hym wyth an house flye : & in wynter season w^t bakon & other bayte made as ye herafter may know.
¶ The ruf is ryght an holsom fysshe : And ye shall angle to him wyth the same baytes in al seasons of the yere & in the same wi | se as I haue tolde you of the perche : for they ben lyke in fysshe & fedinge / sauynge the ruf is lesse. And therfore he must haue y^e smaller bayte.
¶ The flounder is an holsom fisshe & a free. and a subtyll byter in his manere : For comynly whan he soukyth his meete he {19} fedyth at grounde. & therfore ye must angle to hym wyth a gro | unde lyne lyenge. And he hath but one manere of bayte. & that is a red worme. whiche is moost cheyf for all manere of fysshe.
¶ The gogen is a good fisshe of the mochenes : & he byteth wel at the grounde. And his baytes for all the yere ben thyse. y^e red worme : codworme : & maggotes. And ye must angle to him w^t a flote. & lete your bayte be nere y^e botom or ellis on y^e grode.
¶ The menow whan he shynith in the water the is he byttyr And though his body be lytyll yet he is a rauenous biter & an egre. And ye shall angle to hym wyth the same baytes that ye doo for the gogyn : sauynge they must be smalle.
¶ The ele is a quasy fysshe a rauenour & a deuourer of the bro | de of fysshe. And for the pyke also is a deuourer of fysshe I put them bothe behynde all other to angle. For this ele ye shall fyn | de an hole in the grounde of the water. & it is blewe blackysshe there put in your hoke tyll that it be a fote wythin y^e hole. and your bayte shall be a grete angyll twytch or a menow.
¶ The pyke is a good fysshe : but for he deuouryth so many as well of his owne kynde as of other : I loue hym the lesse. & for to take hym ye shall doo thus. Take a codlynge hoke : & take a roche or a fresshe heering & a wyre wyth an hole in the ende : & put it in at the mouth & out at the taylle downe by the ridge of the fresshe heeryng. And thenne put the lyne of your hoke in af | ter. & drawe the hoke in to the cheke of y^e fresshe heeryng. The put a plumbe of lede vpon your lyne a yerde longe from youre hoke & a flote in mydwaye betwene : & caste it in a pytte where the pyke vsyth. And this is the beste & moost surest crafte of ta | kynge the pyke. ¶ A nother manere takynge of him there is. Take a frosshe & put it on your hoke at the necke bytwene the skynne & body on y^e backe half : & put on a flote a yerde ther | fro : & caste it where the pyke hauntyth and ye shall haue hym. ¶ A nother manere. Take the same bayte & put it in Asa fetida & cast it in the water wyth a corde & a corke : & ye shall not fayll of hym. And yf ye lyst to haue a good sporte : thenne tye the co | rde to a gose fote : & ye shall se god halynge whether the gose or the pyke shall haue the better.

Tenche is a good fish, and he heals all kinds of other fish that are hurt if they can get to him. He spends most of the year in the mud, and he is most active in June and July, with little movement in other seasons. He is a tricky biter. His baits are these: all year round, brown bread toasted with honey, resembling buttered bread, and the large red worm. For the best results, take the black blood from the heart of a sheep mixed with flour and honey, and make it slightly softer than paste; anoint the red worm with it, both for this fish and for others. They will bite much better when baited this way at all times.
¶ The perch is a delicate fish, very healthy and a generous biter. These are his baits: in March, the red worm; in April, the bob under the cow dung; in May, the slo thor worm and the codworm; in June, the bait that grows in an old fallen oak and the large canker; in July, the bait that grows on the osier leaf and the bob that grows on the dung hill; and the hawthorn worm and the codworm. In August, the red worm and maggots. All year round, the red worm is the best bait.
¶ The roach is an easy fish to catch. If it is fat and well-fed, then it is good meat. These are his baits: in March, the most ready bait is the red worm; in April, the bob under the cow dung; in May, the bait that grows on the oak leaf and the bob in the dung hill; in June, the bait that grows on the osier and the codworm; in July, house flies; and the bait that grows on an oak, as well as notworms, maggots until Michaelmas. And after that, fat bacon.
¶ The dace is a gentle fish to catch, and if it is well-fed, it is good meat. In March, its bait is a red worm; in April, the bob under the cow dung; in May, the dock canker and the bait on the slo thor and the oak leaves; in June, the codworm and the bait on the osier and the white grub in the dung hill; in July, take house flies and flies that breed in compost heaps; the codworm and maggots until Michaelmas. And if the water is clear, you will catch fish when others catch none. From that time on, do as you would for the roach, for generally their biting and their baits are alike.
¶ The bleak is just a weak fish, yet it is healthy. Its baits from March to Michaelmas are the same that I have written before for the roach and dace, except all summer long you can angle for it with a house fly; and in winter season, with bacon and other baits as you will learn later.
¶ The ruff is indeed a healthy fish, and you should fish for him with the same baits in all seasons of the year and in the same way as I have told you about the perch, for they are similar in fish and feeding, except that the ruff is smaller. Therefore, it must have smaller bait.
¶ The flounder is a healthy fish and a free and subtle biter in its way; for commonly when it seeks its food, it feeds on the bottom. Therefore, you must fish for it with a line lying on the ground. And it has only one kind of bait, which is a red worm, which is the most essential for all kinds of fish.
¶ The gudgeon is a good fish of the bottom; it bites well near the ground. Its baits for all year are these: the red worm, codworm, and maggots. You must fish for it with a float, letting your bait be near the bottom or else on the ground.
¶ The minnow, when it shines in the water, is a good bait. Though its body is small, it is a voracious biter. You will fish for it with the same baits as you do for the gudgeon, except they must be small.
¶ The eel is a sly fish, a ravenous eater and devourer of other fish. And since the pike is also a devour of fish, I place them both after all others for fishing. For this eel, you will find a hole in the ground of the water. It is bluish-black; there put in your hook until it is a foot inside the hole. Your bait shall be a large angler twitch or a minnow.
¶ The pike is a good fish, but because it devours so many of its own kind as well as others, I like it less. To catch it, do as follows: take a codling hook; take a roach or a fresh herring with a wire with a hole at the end; put it in at the mouth and out at the tail down by the ridge of the fresh herring. Then put the line of your hook in after and draw the hook into the cheek of the fresh herring. Put a weight of lead on your line a yard long from your hook and a float in midway between; and cast it into a pit where the pike usually swims. This is the best and most certain way of catching the pike. ¶ Another method to catch it is to take a frog and put it on your hook at the neck between the skin and body on the back halfway; put on a float a yard from it and cast it where the pike hunts, and you shall have it.
¶ Another method: take the same bait and put it in asa fetida and cast it into the water with a cord and a cork; you will not fail to catch it. And if you want to have a good sport, then tie the cord to a goose foot; and you will see a wonderful struggle as to whether the goose or the pike shall prevail.

Ow ye wote with what baytes & how ye shall angle to euery manere fysshe. Now I woll tell you how ye shall {20} kepe and fede your quycke baytes. Ye shall fede and kepe them all in generall : but euery manere by hymself wyth suche thyng in and on whiche they brede. And as longe as they ben quycke & newe they ben fyne. But whan they ben in a slough or elles deed thenne ben they nought. Oute of thyse ben excepted thre brodes : That is to wyte of hornettys : humbylbees. & waspys. whom ye shall bake in breede & after dyppe theyr heedes in blo | de & lete them drye. Also excepte maggotes : whyche whan thei ben bredde grete wyth theyr naturell fedynge : ye shall fede the | ym ferthermore wyth shepes talow & wyth a cake made of flou | re & hony. thenne woll they be more grete. And whan ye haue clensyd theym wyth sonde in a bagge of blanket kepte hote vn | der your gowne or other war thyng two houres or thre. the ben they beste & redy to angle wyth. And of the frosshe kytte y^e legge by the knee. of the grasshop the leggys & wynges by the body.
¶ Thyse ben baytes made to laste all the yere. Fyrste been flou | re & lene flesshe of the hepis of a cony or of a catte : virgyn wexe & shepys talowe : and braye theym in a morter : And thenne tem | pre it at the fyre wyth a lytyll puryfyed hony : & soo make it vp in lytyll ballys & bayte therwyth your hokys after theyr quan | tyte. & this is a good bayte for all manere fresshe fysshe.
¶ A nother take the sewet of a shepe & chese in lyke quantyte : & braye theim togider longe in a mortere : And take thenne floure & tempre it therwyth. and after that alaye it wyth hony & make ballys therof. and that is for the barbyll in especyall.
¶ A nother for darse. & roche & bleke. take whete & sethe it well & thenne put it in blood all a daye & a nyghte. and it is a good bayte.
¶ For baytes for grete fyssh kepe specyally this rule. Whan ye haue take a grete fysshe : vndo the mawe. & what ye fynde therin make that your bayte : for it is beste.

Now you know what baits to use and how to fish for every type of fish. I will tell you how to keep and feed your live baits. You should feed and keep them all generally, but each type separately with the things they reproduce in. As long as they are alive and fresh, they are good to use. But when they are in a slough or dead, then they are not. Except for three types: hornets, humble bees, and wasps. You should bake them in bread, dip their heads in blood, and let them dry. Also except maggots, which when they are bred big with their natural feeding, you should further feed them with sheep tallow and a cake made of flour and honey. Then they will grow bigger. After you have cleaned them with sand in a bag kept warm under your coat or other warm things for two or three hours, they will be best and ready for fishing. And for the fresh catch, you should keep the legs of the grasshopper and the legs by the body.
¶ These baits are made to last all year. First are flour and lean meat from the hips of a rabbit or a cat, virgin wax and sheep tallow, and grind them in a mortar. Then mix it at the fire with a little purified honey, and make little balls with it for baiting your hooks according to their quantity. This is a good bait for all kinds of fresh fish.
¶ Another option is to take the fat of a sheep and cheese in equal quantity, and grind them together well in a mortar. Then take flour and mix it with that, and after that, blend it with honey and make balls from it. This is especially for barbel.
¶ Another for dace, roach, and bleak: take wheat, boil it well, and then soak it in blood for a day and a night. It makes a good bait.
¶ For baits for large fish, keep this rule in mind. When you catch a large fish, open the belly, and whatever you find inside, use it as your bait because it is the best.

¶ Thyse ben the .xij. flyes wyth whyche ye shall angle to y^e tro | ught & grayllyng / and dubbe lyke as ye shall now here me tell.

¶ These are the 12 flies with which you shall fish for trout and grayling, and tie them just as I will now explain to you.

¶ Marche.

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He donne flye the body of the donne woll & the wyngis of the pertryche. A nother doone flye. the body of blacke woll : the wynges of the blackyst drake : and the Iay vnd^r the wynge & vnder the tayle. ¶ Apryll.
¶ The stone flye. the body of blacke wull : & yelowe vnder the wynge. and vnder the tayle & the wynges of the drake. In the begynnynge of May a good flye. the body of roddyd wull and lappid abowte wyth blacke sylke : the wynges of the drake & of the redde capons hakyll. ¶ May.
¶ The yelow flye. the body of yelow wull : the wynges of the redde cocke hakyll & of the drake lyttyd yelow. The blacke lou | per. the body of blacke wull & lappyd abowte wyth the herle of y^e pecok tayle : & the wynges of y^e redde capon w^t a blewe heed.
¶ Iune. ¶ The donne cutte : the body of blacke wull & a yelow lyste after eyther syde : the wynges of the bosarde bounde on with barkyd hempe. The maure flye. the body of doske wull the wynges of the blackest mayle of the wylde drake. The tan | dy flye at saynt Wyllyams daye. the body of tandy wull & the wynges contrary eyther ayenst other of the whitest mayle of y^e wylde drake. ¶ Iuyll.
¶ The waspe flye. the body of blacke wull & lappid abowte w^t yelow threde : the winges of the bosarde. The shell flye at saynt Thomas daye. the body of grene wull & lappyd abowte wyth the herle of the pecoks tayle : wynges of the bosarde.
¶ August. ¶ The drake flye. the body of blacke wull & lappyd abowte wyth blacke sylke : wynges of the mayle of the blac | ke drake wyth a blacke heed.

There’s the dun body of the female sheep and the wings of the partridge. Another one has the body of black wool: the wings of the black drake; and the jay under the wing and under the tail. April.
¶ The stone fly has the body of black wool: and yellow under the wing, and under the tail, and the wings of the drake. In the beginning of May, there’s a good fly with the body of red wool wrapped around with black silk: the wings of the drake and of the red capon hackle. May.
¶ The yellow fly has the body of yellow wool: the wings of the red cock hackle and the drake with little yellow. The black looper has the body of black wool wrapped around with the herl of a peacock's tail: and the wings of the red capon with a blue head.
¶ June. The dun cut: the body of black wool and a yellow stripe along either side: the wings of the buzzard bound with barked hemp. The moor fly has the body of dusky wool and the wings of the darkest male wild drake. The tandy fly on Saint William's day has the body of tandy wool and the wings contrasting against each other made from the whitest male of the wild Drake. July.
¶ The wasp fly has the body of black wool wrapped around with yellow thread: the wings of the buzzard. The shell fly on Saint Thomas's day has the body of green wool wrapped around with the herl of the peacock's tail: wings of the buzzard.
¶ August. The drake fly has the body of black wool wrapped around with black silk: wings of the male black | drake with a black head.

¶ Thyse fygures are put here in ensample of your hokes.

¶ These figures are provided here as examples of your hooks.

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¶ Here folowyth the order made to all those whiche shall haue the vnderstondynge of this forsayde treatyse & vse it for theyr pleasures.

¶ Here follows the order made for all those who will understand this aforementioned treatise and use it for their enjoyment.

E that can angle & take fysshe to your plesures as this forsayd treatyse techyth & shewyth you : I charge & requyre you in the name of alle noble men that ye fysshe not in noo poore mannes seuerall water : as his ponde : stewe : or other necessary thynges to kepe fysshe in wythout his lycence & good wyll. ¶ Nor that ye vse not to breke noo mannys gynnys lyenge in theyr weares & in other places due vnto theym. Ne to take the fysshe awaye that is taken in theym. For after a fysshe is taken in a mannys gynne yf the gynne be layed in the comyn waters : or elles in suche waters as he hireth / it is his ow | ne propre goodes. And yf ye take it awaye ye robbe hym : whyche is a ryght shamfull dede to ony noble man to do y^t that the | uys & brybours done : whyche are punysshed for theyr euyll de | des by the necke & otherwyse whan they maye be aspyed & taken. And also yf ye doo in lyke manere as this treatise shewyth you : ye shal haue no nede to take of other meys : whiles ye shal haue ynough of your owne takyng yf ye lyste to labour therfo | re. whyche shall be to you a very pleasure to se the fayr bryght shynynge scalyd fysshes dysceyued by your crafty meanes and drawen vpon londe. ¶ Also that ye breke noo mannys heggys in goynge abowte your dysportes : ne opyn noo mannes gates but that ye shytte theym agayn. ¶ Also ye shall not vse this for | sayd crafty dysporte for no couetysenes to thencreasynge & spa | rynge of your money oonly / but pryncypally for your solace & to cause the helthe of your body. and specyally of your soule. For whanne ye purpoos to goo on your disportes in fysshyng ye woll not desyre gretly many persones wyth you. whiche my | ghte lette you of your game. And thenne ye maye serue god de | uowtly in sayenge affectuously youre custumable prayer. And thus doynge ye shall eschewe & voyde many vices. as ydylnes whyche is pryncypall cause to enduce man to many other vyces. as it is ryght well knowen. ¶ Also ye shall not be to raueno | us in takyng of your sayd game as to moche at one tyme : whi | che ye maye lyghtly doo yf ye doo in euery poynt as this present treatyse shewyth you in euery poynt. whyche sholde {23} lyght | ly be occasyon to dystroye your owne dysportes & other mennys also. As whan ye haue a suffycyent mese ye sholde coueyte nomore as at that tyme. ¶ Also ye shall besye yourselfe to nouryssh the game in all that ye maye : & to dystroye all suche thyn | ges as ben deuourers of it. ¶ And all those that done after this rule shall haue the blessynge of god & saynt Petyr / whyche he theym graunte that wyth his precyous blood vs boughte.

That you can angle and catch fish to your liking as this aforementioned treatise teaches and shows you: I urge and request you in the name of all noble men that you do not fish in any poor man's private waters: such as his pond, stream, or any other necessary places to keep fish without his permission and goodwill. ¶ Nor should you break anyone's traps lying in their weirs and other places due to them. And do not take the fish that have been caught in them. For once a fish is caught in a man's trap, if the trap is set in public waters or in such waters he hires, it is his own property. And if you take it away, you are robbing him, which is a truly shameful act for any noble man to commit, just like what thieves and robbers do, who are punished for their bad deeds by hanging or in other ways when they can be caught. And also, if you act in the same manner as this treatise shows you: you won't need to take from others, as you will have enough of your own catching if you choose to work for it. This will give you great pleasure to see the beautiful, bright, shiny-scaled fish deceived by your clever means and drawn onto land. ¶ Also, do not break anyone’s hedges while going about your sports, nor open anyone’s gates without shutting them again. ¶ You should not engage in this clever sport purely out of greed to increase your wealth, but primarily for your enjoyment and to promote the health of your body, and especially of your soul. For when you plan to go fishing, you may not want too many people with you, as they might hinder your success. And then, you may serve God devoutly by sincerely saying your customary prayers. By doing this, you will avoid many vices, such as idleness, which is a primary cause leading a man to many other vices, as is well known. ¶ Also, do not be too greedy in taking your game, especially not all at once, which you might easily do if you follow this treatise in every detail. This could easily lead to the destruction of your own sports and those of others as well. When you have enough, you should desire no more at that time. ¶ Also, you should strive to nourish the game in every way you can and destroy all things that prey upon it. ¶ And all those who follow this rule shall have the blessing of God and Saint Peter, who grant this to them through His precious blood that bought us.

¶ And for by cause that this present treatyse sholde not come to the hondys of eche ydle persone whyche wolde desire it yf it were enpryntyd allone by itself & put in a lytyll plaunflet ther | fore I haue compylyd it in a greter volume of dyuerse bokys concernynge to gentyll & noble men to the entent that the for | sayd ydle persones whyche sholde haue but lytyll mesure in the sayd dysporte of fysshyng sholde not by this meane vtterly dys | troye it.

¶ And because this current treatise shouldn’t fall into the hands of every idle person who might want it if it were printed alone and placed in a little pamphlet, I have collected it in a larger volume of various books relevant to gentle and noble men. This way, the aforementioned idle individuals who would have little interest in the sport of fishing won’t completely destroy it.

TRANSCRIBER’S NOTE

Original spelling and grammar have been generally retained, with some exceptions noted here. Long s (“ſ”, Unicode character u+017f) have been replaced by “s”. Words that were broken at the end of a line using a word continuation mark, either hyphen or double oblique hyphen (u+2e17), have been rejoined. Supposed words that were broken at the end of a line, but without a word continuation mark, have been rejoined by inserting a vertical line (u+7c) with thin spaces between the two parts of the supposed word. For example, the word “whiche” was often broken after the i, and would then be transcribed as “whi | che”. I produced the cover image and hereby assign it to the public domain. In the text edition, italic text is marked with low lines (“_”, u+5f); small capitals text is made uppercase; and superscripted text is marked with “^” (u+5e). Original page images are available from archive.org—search for “treatyseoffysshy00bern”.

Original spelling and grammar have generally been retained, with some exceptions noted here. Long s (“ſ”, Unicode character u+017f) have been replaced by “s”. Words that were broken at the end of a line using a word continuation mark, either hyphen or double oblique hyphen (u+2e17), have been rejoined. Supposed words that were broken at the end of a line, but without a word continuation mark, have been rejoined by inserting a vertical line (u+7c) with thin spaces between the two parts of the supposed word. For example, the word “whiche” was often broken after the i, and would then be transcribed as “whi | che”. I produced the cover image and hereby assign it to the public domain. In the text edition, italic text is marked with low lines (“_”, u+5f); small capitals text is made uppercase; and superscripted text is marked with “^” (u+5e). Original page images are available from archive.org—search for “treatyseoffysshy00bern”.

There were throughout the blackletter part of the printed book instances of a symbol that resembled a y with a smudge over it. These are likely variously e over y or t over y, i.e. abbreviations for the and that. These symbols have been transcribed according to context as y^e or y^t. On page 16 there was what looks like a “d” with a smudge over it, which has been transcribed as “d^r”. Other abbreviations that include a smudged small letter include “wy^t”, “w^t”, “togyd^r”, etc. In all these instances, the superscripted mark is a guess based on context.

There were instances throughout the blackletter part of the printed book of a symbol that looked like a y with a smudge over it. These are probably either e over y or t over y, meaning abbreviations for the and that. These symbols have been transcribed according to context as y^e or y^t. On page 16, there was what looks like a “d” with a smudge over it, which has been transcribed as “d^r”. Other abbreviations that include a smudged small letter include “wy^t”, “w^t”, “togyd^r”, etc. In all these cases, the superscripted mark is a guess based on context.

The colon (u+3a) is used liberally throughout the blackletter part of the book. It was usually printed with no space on either side; less often with a space only on the right side; and rarely with a space only on the left side. Examples of the latter occur at page 4 line 4 and at page 8 line 2. In this transcription, the colon spacing has been standardized in the blackletter part of the book to narrow space on both sides.

The colon (u+3a) is used frequently in the blackletter section of the book. It was typically printed with no space on either side; sometimes with a space only on the right side; and rarely with a space only on the left side. Examples of the latter can be found on page 4 line 4 and on page 8 line 2. In this transcription, the spacing around the colon has been standardized in the blackletter section of the book to a narrow space on both sides.

Likewise, the glyph we would call period or full stop (u+2e) was variously printed with no space on either side, or space on one or both sides. These have been standardized to modern usage: space on right side only. This glyph seems to have been used variously in the ways we would use full stop or comma. In addition, roman numerals are transcribed with the full stop as in, for instance, “wyth .xij. heeres” (example is from page 10). In many places full stops seem to be missing from the end of a sentence; these have not been corrected.

Likewise, the symbol we refer to as period or full stop (u+2e) was sometimes printed without space on either side, or with space on one or both sides. These have been standardized to modern usage: space only on the right side. This symbol seems to have been used in various ways similar to how we use full stops or commas. Additionally, Roman numerals are transcribed with the full stop as in, for example, “wyth .xij. heeres” (the example is from page 10). In many instances, full stops appear to be absent at the end of a sentence; these have not been corrected.

There is one exception. On page 20, line 1, the following sentence appears: “Ye shall fede and kepe them all in generall : but euery manere by hymself wyth suche thyng in and on whiche they brede”. In these html/epub/mobi editions, the mark after thyng is shown as an image of the original mark. This mark strongly resembles the glyphs that have been elsewhere transcribed as solidus, but is bolder and more angular. The text edition transcribes this instance as “ꝭ” (u+a76d, Latin small letter IS)

There is one exception. On page 20, line 1, the following sentence appears: “You shall feed and keep them all in general: but every type by itself with such thing in and on which they breed.” In these html/epub/mobi editions, the mark after thing is shown as an image of the original mark. This mark strongly resembles the glyphs that have been elsewhere transcribed as solidus, but is bolder and more angular. The text edition transcribes this instance as “ꝭ” (u+a76d, Latin small letter IS)

Page 2. The following sentence appears: “The seconde is labour not outrageo.” In the text edition, the mark following outrageo has been transcribed as “ꝰ” (u+a770, modifier letter US). This character occurs only once in the text.

Page 2. The following sentence appears: “The second is labor not outrageo.” In the text edition, the mark following outrageo has been transcribed as “ꝰ” (u+a770, modifier letter US). This character appears only once in the text.

Page 7. The phrase “For is is lyke y^e wedys” was changed to “For it is lyke y^e wedys”. In the phrase rendered herein as “that it woll desyre ynough”, it has been suggested that the penultimate word should perhaps be “befyxe” instead.

Page 8. In “And gretter hokes ye shall mabe in the same wyse”, “mabe” should perhaps be “make”?

Page 8. In “And greater hooks you shall make in the same way,” “make” should perhaps be “make”?

Page 10. In the illustration caption, “Plbe : Corke” should perhaps be “Plūbe : Corke”.

Page 12. In “the more he smymmyth aboue”, the word should perhaps be “swymmyth”.

Page 12. In “the more he swims above,” the word should perhaps be “swims.”

Page 13. In “in ony other placys where ye may se ony fyssh houe or ha | ne ony fedynge”, “ha | ne” should perhaps be “ha | ue”?

Page 13. In “in any other places where you may see any fish house or have any feeding,” “have” should perhaps be “have”?

Page 17. In the phrase rendered herein “heeryd : & the hon | ie combe.”, “hon | ie” was originally printed as “hou | ie”.

Page 17. In the phrase shown here “heeryd : & the hon | ie combe.”, “hon | ie” was originally printed as “hou | ie”.

Page 18. A smudge after the ampersand was ignored in the phrase “on the osyer & the codworme”.

Page 18. A smudge after the ampersand was overlooked in the phrase “on the osyer & the codworme”.

Page 19. In “cast it in the water wyth a corde & a corke ”, the illegible mark ahead of “cord” has been transcribed “a ”. Also, the phrase “or ellis on y^e grode” possibly should be “or ellis on y^e groūde”.

Page 19. In “cast it in the water with a cord & a cork”, the unclear mark before “cord” has been transcribed as “a”. Also, the phrase “or else on y^e grode” might actually be “or else on y^e ground”.

Page 20. In “But whan they ben in a slough”, the original print looked like “ben|in”, with a thick black line between “ben” and “in”. In the phrase “¶ A nother take the sewet”, there was a smudge after “nother” that might be taken for a comma, removed from this ebook edition. There were no other commas in the blackletter section of the book.

Page 20. In “But when they're in a slough,” the original print looked like “ben|in”, with a thick black line between “ben” and “in”. In the phrase “¶ Another takes the sewet,” there was a smudge after “another” that could be mistaken for a comma, which has been removed in this ebook edition. There were no other commas in the blackletter section of the book.

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A Treatyse of Fysshynge wyth an Angle, by Dame Juliana Berners

Preface to Lady Juliana Berners' Treatise on Fishing with an Angle.

A Treatyse of Fysshynge wyth an Angle,
by Dame Juliana Berners