University of Virginia Library

George Gascoigne, in the commendation of the noble Arte of Venerie.

As God himselfe declares, the life of man was lent,
Bicause it should (with feare of him) in gladsome wise be spent.
And Salomon doth say, that all the rest is vaine,
Unlesse that myrth and merie cheere, may follow toile and paine.
If that be so in deede, what booteth then to buylde
High towers & halles of stately port, to leave an unknown child?
Or wherefore hoord we heapes of coyne and worldly wealth,
Whiles therwithall that caytif care, cōmes creeping in by stelth?
The needie neighbors grudge to see the rychman thryve,
Such malice worldly mucke doth breede in every man alyve.
Contention commes by coyne, and care doth contecke sew,
And sodeine death by care is caught, all this you know is true.
Since death is then the end, which all men seeke to flye,
And yet are all men well aware, that Man is borne to dye,
Why leade not men such lives, in quiet comely wise,
As might with honest sport & game, their worldly minds suffise?
Amongst the rest, that game, which in this booke is taught,
Doth seeme to yeld as much content, as may on earth be sought.
And but my simple Muze, both myrth and meane mistake,
It is a meane of as much mirth, as any sport can make.
It occupies the mynde, which else might chaunce to muse
On mischiefe, malice, filth and fraudes, that mortall men do use.
And as for exercise, it seemes to beare the bell,
Since by the same, mens bodies be, in health mainteyned well.
It exercyseth strength, it exercyseth wit,
And all the poars and sprites of Man, are exercised by it,
It shaketh off all slouth, it presseth downe all pryde,
It cheres the hart, it glads the eye, & through the ears doth glyde.
I might at large expresse how earely huntsmen ryse
And leave the sluggish sleepe for such, as leachers lust devyse.
How true they tread their steps, in exercises traine,
Which frisking flings & lightbraind leaps, may seeme always to staine.
Howe appetite is bred (with health) in homely cates,
While Surfet sits in vaine excesse, & Banquet breeds debates.
How cries of well mouthd hounds, do countervaile the cost,
Which many a man (beyond his reach) on instruments hath lost.
How setting of Relayes, may represent the skyll,
Which souldiours use in Embushes, their furious foes to kyll.
How Foxe and Badgerd both, make patterns (in their denne)
Of Plotformes, Loopes, and Casamats, devisde by warlike men.
How fighting out at Bay, of Hart, Bucke, Goate, or Bore,
Declares the valiant Romains death, when might may do no more.
How sight of such delights, doth scorne all common showes,
Of Enterludes, of Tumblers tricks, of antikes, mocks, & mowes.
And how the nimble Hare, by turning in hir course,
Doth plainly prove that Pollicie, sometime surpasseth force.
The Venson not forgot, most meete for Princes dyshe:
All these with more could I rehearse, as much as wit could wyshe.
But let these few suffice, it is a Noble sport,
To recreate the mindes of Men, in good and godly sort.
A sport for Noble peeres, a sport for gentle bloods,
The paine I leave for servants such, as beate the bushie woods
To make their masters sport. Then let the Lords rejoyce,
Let gentlemen beholde the glee, and take thereof the choyce.
For my part (being one) I must needes say my minde,
That Hunting was ordeyned first, for Men of Noble kinde.
And unto them therefore, I recommend the same,
As exercise that best becōmes, their worthy noble name.