Home
  By Author [ A  B  C  D  E  F  G  H  I  J  K  L  M  N  O  P  Q  R  S  T  U  V  W  X  Y  Z |  Other Symbols ]
  By Title [ A  B  C  D  E  F  G  H  I  J  K  L  M  N  O  P  Q  R  S  T  U  V  W  X  Y  Z |  Other Symbols ]
  By Language
all Classics books content using ISYS

Download this book: [ ASCII | HTML | PDF ]

Look for this book on Amazon


We have new books nearly every day.
If you would like a news letter once a week or once a month
fill out this form and we will give you a summary of the books for that week or month by email.

Title: The Art of Angling - Wherein are discovered many rare secrets, very necessary - to be knowne by all that delight in that recreation
Author: Barker, Thomas, fl. 1651
Language: English
As this book started as an ASCII text book there are no pictures available.


*** Start of this LibraryBlog Digital Book "The Art of Angling - Wherein are discovered many rare secrets, very necessary - to be knowne by all that delight in that recreation" ***


produced from images generously made available by The
Internet Archive/American Libraries.)



                             _The Art of_

                               ANGLING.


                               WHEREIN

                  Are discovered many rare Secrets,
                     very necessary to be knowne
                        by all that delight in
                           that Recreation.



                               _LONDON,_

                      Printed in the Yeare 1653.


                   ONLY ONE HUNDRED COPIES PRINTED.


              Reprinted by Inchbold and Gawtress, Leeds.

                                1817.

       *       *       *       *       *



_The Art of Angling._


Reader: I will complement, and put a case to you. I met with a man,
and upon our Discourse he fell out with me: this man having a good
weapon, having neither wit, stomack, nor skill; I say this man may
come home by _Totnam-high-Cross_, and cause the Clerk to tole his
knell: It is the very like case with the Gentleman Angler that goeth
to the River for his pleasure: this Angler hath neither judgment,
knowledge, nor experience; he may come home light laden at his
pleasure.

A man that goeth to the River for his pleasure, must understand, when
he cometh there, to set forth his Tackles. The first thing he must do,
is to observe the Sun, the Wind, the Moon, the Starres, and the Wanes
of the Air; to set forth his Tackles according to the times and
seasons; to goe for his pleasure, and some profit.

As for example, the Sun proves cloudy; then must he set forth either
his ground Bait or Tackles, and of the brightest of his Flies. If the
Sun prove bright, then must he put on some of the darkest of his
flies. Thus must you goe to work with your Flies, light for darkness,
and dark for lightness, with the wind in the South, then that blows
the Flie in the Trouts mouth. Though I set down the wind being in the
South, if the weather be warm, I am indifferent where the wind
standeth, either with ground Bait or Menow, so that I can cast my Bait
into the River. The very same observations is for night, as for day:
For if the Moon prove cleer, or if the Stars glitter in the skie,
there is as ill Angling that night, as if it were at high noon in the
midst of Summer, when the Sun shineth at the brightest, wherein there
is no hopes of pleasure.

I will begin to Angle for the Trout, with the ground Baits with this
quality.

The first thing you must gaine, must be a neat taper Rod, light
before, with a tender hazell top, which is very gentle. If you desire
to attain my way of Angling, (for I have Angled these forty years)
with a single haire of five lengths, one tied to another for the
bottom of my Line, and a Line of three haired links for the uppermost
part; and so you may kill the greatest Trout that swims, with
Sea-room.

He that Angles with a Line made of three haired links at the bottom,
and more at the top, may kill Fish: but he that Angles with one hair
shall kill five Trouts to the others one; for the Trout is very quick
sighted; therefore the best way for night or day, is to keep out of
the sight. You must Angle alwayes with the point of your Rod downe the
stream; for a Fish hath not the quickness of sight so perfect up the
stream, as opposite against him, observing seasonable times; as for
example, we begin to Angle in _March_; If it prove cloudie, you may
Angle with the ground Baits all day long: but if it prove bright and
cleere, you must take the morning and evening, or else you are not
like to do any good; so the times must be observed, and truely
understood; for when an Angler commeth to the River for his pleasure
that doth not understand to set forth his Tackles fit for the time, it
is as good keep them in the bag, as set them forth.

I am determined to Angle with the ground Baits and set my Tackles to
my Rod, and go to my pleasure: I begin at the uppermost part of the
streame, carrying my Line with an upright hand, feeling the Plummet
running on the ground some ten inches from the hook, plumming my Line
according to the swiftnesse of the stream you Angle in; for one
plummet will not serve for all streams; for the true Angling is that
the plummet runneth on the ground.

For the Bait. The red knotted worme is very good where Brandlins are
not to be had, but Brandlins are better: now that you may bring these
Brandlings fit to Angle with, that they may live long on the hook,
which causeth the best sport. When you have gathered your worms out of
the dung-hill, you must gaine the greenest Moss you can find, then
wash the earth very clean out of it, then provide an earthen pot, so
put your Moss into the pot, then put the worms to the Moss into the
pot; within two days you shall find your worms so poor, that if you
bait some of them on your hook, you shall see that with throwing of
them two or three times into the water, they will dye and grow white:
now the skill is, when these worms be grown poor, you must feed them
up to make them fat and lusty, that they may live long on the hook;
that is the chiefest point.

To make them lusty and fat, you must take the yolke of an Egge, some
eight or ten spoonfull of the top of new milk, beaten well together in
a Porringer, warm it a little, untill you see it curdle; then take it
off the fire, and set it to coole; when it is cold, take a spoonfull
and drop it upon your Moss into the pot, every drop about the bignesse
of a green Pea, shifting your Moss twice in the week in the Summer,
and once in the winter: thus doing, you shall feed your wormes fat,
and make them lusty, that they will live a long time on the hook; so
you may keep them all the year long. This is my true experience for
the ground Baits, for the running Line for the Trout.

The Angling with a Menow, called in some places Pencks for a Trout, is
a pleasant sport, and killeth the greatest Fish; he commeth boldly to
the Bait, as if it were a Mastive Dog at a Beare: you may Angle with
greater Tackles, and stronger, and be no prejudice to you in your
Angling: a Line made of three silks and three hairs twisted for the
uppermost part of the Line, and two silkes and two haires twisted for
the bottome next your hook, with a Swivel nigh the middle of your
Line, with an indifferent large hook.

To bait your hook with a Menow, you must put your hook through the
lowermost part of his mouth, so draw your hook thorow, then put the
hook in at the mouth againe, let the point of the hook come out at the
hindmost Fin, then draw your Line, and the Menowes mouth will close,
that no water will get into its belly; you must alwayes be Angling
with the point of your Rod down the stream, with drawing the Menow up
the stream by little and little, nigh the top of the water; the Trout
seeing the bait, commeth at it most fiercely, so give a little time
before you strike: This is the true way, without Lead; for many times
I have had them come at the Lead and forsake the Menow, so he that
tryeth shall prove it in time: let us go to Angling with a Flie, which
is a delightfull sport.

The Rod must be light and tender, if you can fit yourselfe with an
Hazell, either of one piece or two set together in the most convenient
manner, light and gentle: set your Line to the Rod; for the uppermost
part, you may use your owne discretion; for the lower part, next your
Flie, must be of three or foure haired links. If you can attain to
Angle with one haire, you shall have the more rises, and kill more
fish; be sure you doe not over-load yourself with the length of your
Line: before you begin to Angle, make a triall, having the winde in
your back to see at what length you can cast your Flie, that the Flie
light first into the water, and no longer; for if any of the Line
falleth into the water before the Flie, it is better unthrowne then
throwne; be sure you be casting alwayes downe the stream, with the
Wind behinde you, and the Sun before; it is a speciall point to have
the Sunne and Moon before you; for the very motion of the Rod drives
all the pleasure from you, either by day or night in all your
Anglings, both for Wormes and Flies; so there must bee a great care of
that.

Let us begin to Angle in _March_ with the Flie: If the weather prove
Windie, or Cloudie, there are severall kindes of Palmers that are good
for that time.

First, a black Palmer ribbed with silver: the second, a black Palmer
with an Orange-tauny body: thirdly, a black Palmer, with the body made
all of black: fourthly, a red Palmer ribbed with gold, and a red
hackle mixed with Orenge cruel; these Flies serve all the year long
morning and evening, windie and cloudie. Then if the Aire prove bright
and cleare, you must imitate the Hauthorn Flie, which is all black and
very small, and the smaller the better. In _May_ take the _May_-flie:
imitate that, which is made severall wayes; some make them with a
shammy body, ribbed with a black haire: another way made with
Sandy-Hogges wooll, ribbed with black silke, and winged with a
Mallards feather, according to the fancy of the Angler. There is
another called the Oak-Flie, which is made of Orange colour Cruell and
black, with a browne wing; imitate that: Another Flie, the body made
with the strain of a Pea-Cocks feather, which is very good in a
bright day: The Grasse-hopper which is green imitate that; the smaller
the Flies be made, and of indifferent small hooks, they are the
better; these sorts I have set downe, will serve all the year long,
observing the times and seasons: Note, the lightest of your Flies for
cloudy and darknesse, and the darkest of your Flies for lightnesse,
and the rest for indifferent times; that a mans owne Judgement, with
some experience and discretion must guide him: If he mean to kill
Fish, he must alter his Flies according to these directions. Now, of
late, I have found, that Hogs-wooll, of severall colours, makes good
grounds; and the wooll of a red Heyfer makes a good body: And Bears
wool makes a good ground; so I now work much of them, and it procureth
very much sport.

The naturall Flie is sure Angling, and will kill great store of Trouts
with much pleasure: As for the May-Flie, you shall have them always
playing at the River side, especially against Raine. The Oake-Flie is
to bee had on the butt of an Oake, or an Ash, from the beginning of
_May_ to the end of _August_: it is a brownish Flie, and stands
alwayes with his head towards the root of the tree, very easie to be
found: The small black Flie is to be had one evry Hawthorn Bush, after
the buds be come forth: Your Grasse-hopper, which is green, is to be
had in any Medow of Grasse in _June_ or _July_: with these Flies, you
must Angle with such a Rod as you Angle with the ground Bait; the Line
must not be so long as the Rod: with drawing your flie, as you finde
convenient in your Angling. When you come to deep waters that stand
somewhat still, make your Line some two yards long, or thereabout, and
dop your Flie behinde a bush, which Angling I have had good sport at;
we call it doping.

A Lord lately sent to me at Sun going down, to provide him a good dish
of Trouts against the next morning by six of the Clock: I went to the
door to see how the wains of the Aire were like to prove, and returned
answer, that I doubted not but to be provided (God willing) at my time
appointed. I went presently to the River, and it proved very dark; I
drew out a Line of three silkes and three hairs twisted for the
uppermost part, and a Line of two silks and two hairs twisted for the
lowermost part, with a good large hook: I baited my hook with two
Lob-worms, the four ends hanging as meet as I could ghesse them in the
dark: I fell to Angle; it proved very dark, that I had good sport,
Angling with the Lob-worms, as I doe with the Flie, at the top of the
water; you shall heare the Fish rise at the top of the water; then you
must loose a slack Line down to the bottome, as nigh as you can
ghesse, then hold a straight Line; feeling the Fish bite, give time,
there is no doubt of losing the Fish; for there is not one among
twenty, but doth gorge the Bait: the least stroak you can strike to
fasten the hook, makes the fish sure, and then you may take the fish
up with your hands: The night began to alter and grew somewhat
lighter; I took off the Lob-worms, and set to my Rod a white Palmer
Flie, made of a large hook, I had sport for the time, till it grew
lighter; then I put on my red Palmer, I had sport for the time untill
it grew very light; then I set on my black Palmer, had good sport,
made up my dish of fish, put up my Tackles, and was at my time
appointed for the service. For these three Flies, with the help of the
Lob-worms, serve to Angle all the year long, observing the times, as I
have shewed in this nights work: a light Flie for darknes, the red
Flie _in medio_, and a dark Flie for lightnesse: This is my experiment
for this kind of Angling, which is the surest Angling of all, and
killeth the greatest Fish: your Lines may be strong, but must be no
longer than the Rod.

To take a Carp either in Pond or River, if you mean to have sport with
some profit, you must take a peck of Ale-graines, and a good quantity
of any bloud, and mix the bloud and graines together, and cast it in
the places where you meane to Angle; this feed will gather the scale
Fish together, as Carp, Tench, Roach, Dace, and Bream; the next
morning be at your sport very early, plum your ground: you may Angle
for the Carp with a strong Line; the Bait must be either a red knotted
worm, or Paste: there is no doubt of sport.

To take Pearch. The Pearch feeds well, if you light where they be, and
bites very free: My opinion is, (with some experience) to bait with
Lob-worms, chopt in pieces over night; so come in the morning
betimes, plum your ground, gage your line, bait your hook with a red
knotted worme; but I hold a Menow better: put the hook in at the back
of the Menow, betwixt the fish and the skin, that the Menow may swim
up and down alive, being boyed up with a Cork or Quill, that the Menow
may have liberty to swimme a foot off the ground: there is no doubt of
sport with profit.

I will shew, a little, my opinion of floating for scale fish in the
River or Pond: The feed brings the Fish together, as the sheep to the
Pen: There is nothing better in all your Anglings, for feed, then
Bloud and Grains; I hold it better then Paste: then plumming your
ground, Angling with fine Tackles, as single haire for halfe the Line
next the hook, round and small plumed, according to your float: For
the Bait, there is a small red worm, with a yellow tip on his taile,
is very good; Brandlins, Gentles, Paste, or Cadice, which we call
Cod-bait, they lye in a gravelly husk under stones in the River: these
be the speciall Baits for these kinde of Fish.

One of my name was the best Trouler, for a Pike, in this Realme: he
laid a wager, that he would take a Pike of four foot long, of Fish,
within the space of one Moneth, with his Trouling-Rod; so he Trouled
three weeks and odde days, and took many great Pikes, nigh the length,
but did not reach the full length, till within the space of three
dayes of the time; then he took one, and won the wager. The manner of
his Trouling was, with a Hazell Rod of twelve foot long, with a Ring
of Wyre in the top of his Rod, for his Line to runne thorow: within
two foot of the bottome of the Rod there was a hole made, for to put
in a winde, to turne with a barrell, to gather up his Line, and loose
at his pleasure; this was his manner of Trouling: But I will pawn my
credit, that I will shew a way, either in Maior, Pond, or River, that
shall take more Pikes than any Trouler with his Rod: And thus it is.
First, take forked stick, a Line of twelve yards long wound upon it,
at the upper end, leave about a yard, either to tye a bunch of Sags,
or a Bladder, to Boy up the Fish, and to carry it from the ground: the
Bait must be a live Fish, either Dace, or Gudgin, or Roach, or a
small Trout: the forked stick must have a slit in the one side of the
fork to put in the Line, that you may set your live Fish to swimme at
a gage, that when the Pike taketh the Bait, he may have the full
liberty of the Line for his feed.

You may turne these loose, either in Pond or River: in the Pond with
the winde all day long, the more the better: at night set some small
weight, as may stay the Boy, as a Ship lyeth at Anchor, till the Fish
taketh. For the River, you must turn all loose with the streame; two
or three be sufficient to shew pleasure, gaged at such a depth as they
will go currant downe the River; there is no doubt of sport, if there
be Pikes: for the hooks, they must be doubled books, the shanks should
be somewhat shorter than ordinary: my reason is, the shorter the hook
is of the shank, it will hurt the live Fish the lesse, and must be
armed with small wyre well softned; but I hold a hook armed with
twisted silk to be better, for it will hurt the live fish least.

If you arm your hook with wyre, the neeld must be made with a small
hook at the one end thereof. If you arme with silke, the neeld must be
made with an eye: then must you take one of those Baits alive (which
you can get) and with one of your neelds enter within a strawes breath
of the Gill of the Fish, so put the neeld betwixt the skin and the
Fish; then pull the neeld out at the hindmost finne, and draw the
arming thorow the Fish, until the hook come to lye close to the Fishes
bodie: But I hold for those that be armed with wyre to take off the
hook, and put the neeld in the hindmost fin and so to come forth at
the Gill; then put on the hook drawn close to the body, 'twill hurt
the live Fish the less, so knit the arming with the live Fish to the
Line; then put off either in Maior or Pond, with the winde, in the
River with the stream: The more you put off in Maior or Pond, you are
like to have the more pleasure: For the River I have shewed you
before.

There is a time when Pikes goe a Frogging Ditches, and in the River to
Sun them, as in May, June and July, there is a speedy way to take
them, and not to misse scarce one in twenty.

You must take a Line of six or eight foot long, arm a large hook, of
the largest size that is made; arm it to your Line, lead the shank of
your hook very handsom, that it may be of such a weight as you may
guide the hook at your pleasure: you may strike the Pike, you see,
with the bare hook where you please: this Line and hook doth far
exceed snaring.

The principall sport to take a Pike, is to take a Goose or Gander, or
Duck: take one of the Pike Lines I have shewed you before: tye the
Line under the left wing, and over the right wing, about the body, as
a man weareth his Belt: turne the Goose off into a Pond, where _Pikes_
are, there is no doubt of sport, with great pleasure, betwixt the
Goose and the _Pike_: It is the greatest sport and pleasure that a
noble Gentleman in _Shropshire_ doth give his friends entertainment
with.

The way to make the best paste is, Take, a reasonable quantity of
fresh Butter, as much fresh sheeps Suet, a reasonable quantity of the
strongest Cheese you can get, with the soft of an old stale white
loafe; beat all this in a Morter till it come to perfect paste; put as
much on your hook as a green pease.

There are many wayes to take Eeles: I will shew you a good way to take
a dish of Eeles. When you stay a night or two Angling, take four or
five Lines, such as be laid for _Pikes_, of fourteen or fifteen yards
long, and at every two yards make a noose, to hang a hook armed either
to double thred, or silk twist; for it is better then wyre: Bait your
Hooks with Millors-thumbs, Loaches, Menowes, or Gudgins: tye to every
noose a Line baited: these Lines must be laid crosse the River in the
deepest places, either with stones, or pegged, so the Line lie in the
bottome of the river, there is no doubt of taking a dish of Eeles; you
must have a small neeld with an eye, to bait your hooks.

Now to shew how to make Flies: learn to make two Flies, and make all:
that is, the Palmer ribbed with silver or gold, and the May-flie:
these are the ground of all Flies.

We will begin to make the Palmer Flie: You must arme your Line on the
inside of the hook; take your Scisers, and cut so much of the brown of
the Mallards feather, as in your owne reason shall make the wings,
then lay the outmost part of the feather next the hook, and the point
of the feather towards the shanke of the hook, then whip it three or
four times about the hook with the same silk you armed the hook: then
make your silk fast: then you must take the hackle of the neck of a
Cock or Capon, or a Plovers top, which is the best, take off the one
side of the feather, then you must take the hackle silk, or cruell,
gold or silver thred; make all these fast at the bent of the hook,
then you must begin with Cruell, and Silver, or Gold, and work it up
to the wings, every bout shifting your fingers, and making a stop,
then the gold will fall right, then make fast: then work up the hackle
to the same place, then make the hackle fast: then you must take the
hook betwixt your finger and thumb, in the left hand, with a neeld or
pin, part the wings in two: then with the arming silk, as you have
fastned all hitherto, whip about as it falleth crosse betwixt the
wings, then with your thumb you must turne the point of the feather
towards the bent of the hook, then work three or four times about the
shank, so fasten, then view the proportion.

For the other Flies: If you make the grounds of Hogs-wooll, sandy,
black or white; or the wooll of a Bear, or of a two year old red
Bullock: you must work all these grounds upon a waxed silk, then you
must arm and set on the wings, as I have shewed before: For the
May-flie, you work the body with some of these grounds, which is very
good, ribbed with a black hair; you may work the body with Cruels,
imitating the Colour, or with Silver, with suiting the wings. For the
Oak-flie, you must make him with Orange-tauny and black, for the body,
and the brown of the Mallards feather for the wings. If you do after
my directions, they will kill fish, observing the times fitting, and
follow my former Directions.

If any worthy or honest Angler cannot hit of these my Directions, let
him come to me, he shall read and I will work, he shall see all things
done according to my foresaid Directions: So I conclude for the Flie,
having shewed you my true Experiments, with the Rod, I will set all
labouring sports aside:

And now I am waiting on my Lord with a great Dish of Trouts, who
meeting with company, commanded me to turne Scullion and dresse a
Dinner of the Trouts wee had taken: whereupon I gave my Lord this
Bill of fare, which I did furnish his Table with, according as it was
furnished with flesh. Trouts in broth, which is restorative: Trouts
broyled, cut and filled with sweet Herbes chopt: Trouts calvored hot
with Antchovaes sauce: Trouts boyled; out of which Kettle I make three
Dishes; the one for a Soused Dish, another for a Stew'd Dish, the
third for a hot Dish: the Sauce is Butter, Vinegar, beaten Cinamon,
with the juyce of a Lemmon, beaten very well together, that the Sauce
is white and thick, or else it is no Sauce for a great man's Table:
Trouts fryed, which must be done, and not put into the Pan, untill the
Suet boyle very high, and kept with stirring all the time they are
frying, being flowr'd first. Trouts stew'd: Trouts close, boyled with
the calvored Trouts, all in one Kettle and the same liquor: Trouts
butter'd with Egs: Trouts roasted: Trouts baked: these are for the
first course, before the Salt.

And these are for the latter course. Trouts calvored cold: Trouts flat
cold: Baked Trouts: Trouts marilled, that will eat perfect and sweet
three moneths in the heat of Summer: if I did say, for the whole year
about, I would make it good.

For the dressing of four or five of the Dishes, I will shew you how I
did perform them.

First, I will shew you for the boyling and calvoring, that serves for
hot and cold, for first and latter course.

First, you must draw out the Intrails of the fish, cutting the fish
two or three times in the back; lay them in a Tray or Platter, put
some Vinegar upon them; you shall see the fish turn sanguine, if they
be new, presently: you must put so much water in the Kettle as you
thinke will cover them, with a pint of Vinegar, a handfull of Salt,
some Rosemary and Thyme and sweet Marjoram tyed in a bunch: then you
must make this liquor boyle with a fierce fire made of wood: when the
liquor hath boyled very well, put in your fish by one and one, keeping
your liquor alwayes boyling, untill you have put all in: having
provided a cover for your Kettle, so put on the cover: you must have a
paire of Bellowes to blow up the fire with speed, that the liquor may
boyle up to the top of the Kettle; so the fierce boiling will make the
Fish to calvor: provided, the fish be new killed: you may let them
boile nigh a quarter of an hour; when they are cold, you may put them
in a Tray or earthen Pan, untill you have occasion to use them: be
sure they lie covered.

For your stewed Trouts, you must cut them on the side, as for
broiling: there are divers wayes of stewing; the English hath one way,
the French hath another way, the Italian hath another way: I may speak
this; for I have been admitted into the Kitchins, to furnish men of
most Nations, when they have been in England.

We will begin with the English: He broyleth first upon a Charcoale
fire; the first thing that you must have a care of is, when your
Grid-iron is hot you must coole it with ruff Suet, then the skin of
your Fish will not break, with care of turning them: when they are
nigh broyled, take them off the Grid-iron; set on a Chafing-dish of
coals in a Stew-pan, or Dish; put in a good quantity of fresh Butter,
so much Vinegar as will give the relish, a penny-worth of beaten
Cinamon; then put in your broyled fish, and let them stew, about halfe
an houre will be sufficient, being turned: adorn your Dish with
Sippets, take the fish out of the stew-pan, lay them for the service,
be sure to squease a Lemmon on them: I will warrant them good
victuall.

The Italian he stewes upon a Chafing-dish of coals, with white Wine,
Cloves, and Mace, Nutmegs sliced, a little Ginger: you must understand
when this fish is stewed, the same liquor that the fish is stewed in,
must be beaten with some Butter and the juyce of a Lemmon, before it
is dish'd for the service. The French doe add to this a slice or two
of Bacon.

I will shew you the way to marrionate a Trout or other fish that will
keep a quarter of a yeare in Summer, which is the Italians rarest Dish
for fresh fish, and will eat perfect and sweet.

You must take out the Intrailes as you doe of other fish, and cut them
a-crosse the sides, as you do to broyle, washed clean, dried with a
cloth, lay them upon a Tray or board, sprinkle a little salt on them,
and flowre them as to frie them, so take your Frying-pan with so much
Suet, when it is melted, as the Fish may lye to the midside in the
liquor, and so fry them; and every time you turn them, flower them
againe, untill you finde the fish fryed sufficient: when you think the
fish is fryed, take it out of the Pan, and lay it upon some thing,
that the liquor may draine out of it; when the fish is cold, you may
reare it an end.

You must have a close Vessell to keep this fish and liquor in, that no
winde comes in, according to the quantity you make triall of.

For the Liquor. First, you must take halfe Claret-Wine, the other
halfe Vinegar, two or three Bay-leaves, so much Saffron as a Nut tyed
in a cloth, with some Cloves and large Mace, some Nutmeg sliced; boile
all these together very well; when the liquor is cold, and the fish
cold, put the fish and liquor into the close Vessell, with three or
four Lemmons sliced among the fish; make all close that no winde can
get into the Vessell; after eight or ten days you may begin to eat of
this fish; the Sauce must be some of the same liquor, with some of a
sliced Lemmon.


_To dresse a Pike._

When the _Pike_ cometh into the Kitchin, kill it; then take a handfull
of Salt, with water, and rub the fish very well to take the slime off,
draw out the Intrailes; wash the _Pike_ cleane, put a handfull of
_Salt_ in the Pikes Belly; then take so much water, with a pinte of
Vinegar: if the _Pike_ be any thing large, you must put in at least
three handfull of Salt, with a bunch of Rosemary, Thyme, and sweet
Marjoram, and two or three green Onyons; boyle your liquor very well
with a high fire made of wood; then put in your _Pike_, cover your
Kettle, with your Bellows keep your Kettle boiling verie high for the
space of halfe an houre or thereabouts: a _Pike_ asketh great boiling:
for the sauce, it is sweet Butter well beaten with some of the top of
the same liquor, with two or three Antchovaes, the skin taken off, and
the bones taken out, a little Vinegar, so garnish your Dish: when your
_Pike_ is Dished, take the juyce of a Lemmon, and put on the top of
the fish: there is no doubt but it is good victuall.

I could set downe as many ways to dress Eeles, as would furnish a
Lords Table: but I will relate but one.

Take off the skinne whole, till you come within two inches of the
taile, beginning at the head: take out the Intrailes, wash the Eele
cleane, drie it with a cloth, scotch it all along both the sides; take
some Pepper and Salt, mixe them together, rub the Eele well with the
Pepper, and Salt; draw the skinne on againe whole; tye the skinne
about the head with a little thred lapped round, broyled on a
Charcoale fire, let your Grid-iron be hot, rub your Grid-iron with
some ruffe Suet; the skinne will not burne; this is good; but take the
skin off, and stew the Eele betwixt two Dishes, on a Chafing-dish of
Coals, with sweet Butter, Vinegar, and beaten Cinnamon, they will be
better.

The boyling of a Carp is the very same way as I have shewed for the
Trout, the scales on: no better Sauce can be made than the Antchovaes
Sauce. The high-boyling is the way for all fresh-water Fish: I have
served seven times seven years, to see the experiment.

If there be any Gentleman that liveth adjoyning to a River side, where
Trouts are; I will shew the way to bring them to feed, that he may see
them at his pleasure; and to bring store to the place. Gather great
Garden-Wormes, the quantity of a pinte, or a quarte, chop them in
pieces, and throw them where you intend to have your pleasure; with
feeding often, there is no doubt of their comming; they will come as
Sheep to the Pen: you must begin to feed with peeces of worms, by
hand, by one and one, untill you see them eat; then you may feed with
Liver or Lights, so your desire will be effected. And thus I conclude
this short Treatise.


FINIS.





*** End of this LibraryBlog Digital Book "The Art of Angling - Wherein are discovered many rare secrets, very necessary - to be knowne by all that delight in that recreation" ***

Copyright 2023 LibraryBlog. All rights reserved.



Home