The Complete Angler 1653 Part 5

_Host_. Yes, and a friend with him, they are both glad to hear you are in these parts, and long to see you, and are hungry, and long to be at supper.

CHAP. III.

_Piscat_. Wel met brother _Peter_, I heard you & a friend would lodg here to night, and that has made me and my friend cast to lodge here too; my friend is one that would faine be a brother of the _Angle_: he has been an _Angler_ but this day, and I have taught him how to catch a _Chub_ with _daping_ a _Grashopper_, and he has caught a l.u.s.ty one of nineteen inches long. But I pray you brother, who is it that is your companion?

_Peter_. Brother _Piscator_, my friend is an honest Country man, and his name is _Coridon_, a most downright witty merry companion that met me here purposely to eat a _Trout_ and be pleasant, and I have not yet wet my line since I came from home: But I wil fit him to morrow with a _Trout_ for his breakfast, if the weather be any thing like.

_Pisc_. Nay brother, you shall not delay him so long, for look you here is a _Trout_ will fill six reasonable bellies. Come Hostis, dress it presently, and get us what other meat the house wil afford, and give us some good Ale, and lets be merrie.

_The Description of a_ Trout.

[Ill.u.s.tration]

_Peter_. On my word, this _Trout_ is in perfect season. Come, I thank you, and here's a hearty draught to you, and to all the brothers of the Angle, wheresoever they be, and to my young brothers good fortune to morrow; I wil furnish him with a rod, if you wil furnish him with the rest of the tackling, we wil set him up and make him a fisher.

And I wil tel him one thing for his encouragement, that his fortune hath made him happy to be a Scholer to such a Master; a Master that knowes as much both of the nature and breeding of fish, as any man; and can also tell him as well how to catch and cook them, from the _Minnow_ to the _Sammon_, as any that I ever met withall.

_Pisc_. Trust me, brother _Peter_, I find my Scholer to be so sutable to my own humour, which is to be free and pleasant, and civilly merry, that my resolution is to hide nothing from him. Believe me, Scholer, this is my resolution: and so here's to you a hearty draught, and to all that love us, and the honest Art of Angling.

_Viat_. Trust me, good Master, you shall not sow your seed in barren ground, for I hope to return you an increase answerable to your hopes; but however, you shal find me obedient, and thankful, and serviceable to my best abilitie.

_Pisc_. 'Tis enough, honest Scholer, come lets to supper. Come my friend _Coridon_, this _Trout_ looks lovely, it was twenty two inches when it was taken, and the belly of it look'd some part of it as yellow as a Marygold, and part of it as white as a Lily, and yet me thinks it looks better in this good fawce.

_Coridon_. Indeed, honest friend, it looks well, and tastes well, I thank you for it, and so does my friend _Peter_, or else he is to blame.

_Pet_. Yes, and so I do, we all thank you, and when we have supt, I wil get my friend _Coridon_ to sing you a Song, for requital.

_Cor_. I wil sing a Song if anyboby wil sing another; else, to be plain with you, I wil sing none: I am none of those that sing for meat, but for company; I say, 'Tis merry in Hall when men sing all.

_Pisc_. I'l promise you I'l sing a Song that was lately made at my request by Mr. _William Ba.s.se_, one that has made the choice Songs of the _Hunter in his carrere_, and of _Tom of Bedlam_, and many others of note; and this that I wil sing is in praise of Angling.

_Cor_. And then mine shall be the praise of a Country mans life: What will the rest sing of?

_Pet_. I wil promise you I wil sing another Song in praise of Angling, to-morrow night, for we wil not part till then, but fish to morrow, and sup together, and the next day every man leave fis.h.i.+ng, and fall to his business.

_Viat_. 'Tis a match, and I wil provide you a Song or a Ketch against then too, that shal give some addition of mirth to the company; for we wil be merrie.

_Pisc_. 'Tis a match my masters; lets ev'n say Grace, and turn to the fire, drink the other cup to wet our whistles, and so sing away all sad thoughts.

Come on my masters, who begins? I think it is best to draw cuts and avoid contention.

_Pet_. It is a match. Look, the shortest Cut fals to _Coridon_.

_Cor_. Well then, I wil begin; for I hate contention.

CORIDONS Song.

_Oh the sweet contentment The country man doth find!

high trolollie laliloe high trolollie lee, That quiet contemplation Possesseth all my mind_: Then care away, and wend along with me.

_For Courts are full of flattery, As hath too oft been tri'd; high trolollie lollie loe high trolollie lee, The City full of wantonness, and both are full of pride_: Then care away, and wend along with me.

_But oh the honest countryman Speaks truly from his heart, high trolollie lollie loe high trolollie lee, His pride is in his Tillage, his Horses and his Cart_: Then care away, and wend along with me.

_Our clothing is good sheep skins Gray russet for our wives, high trolollie lollie loe high trolollie lee.

'Tis warmth and not gay clothing that doth prolong our lives_: Then care away, and wend along with me,

_The ploughman, though he labor hard, Yet on the_ Holy-day, _high trolollie lollie loe high trolollie lee, No Emperor so merrily does pa.s.s his time away_: Then care away, and wend along with me.

_To recompence our Tillage, The Heavens afford us showrs; high trolollie lollie loe high trolollie lee, And for our sweet refreshments the earth affords us bowers_: Then care away, &c.

_The_ Cuckoe _and the_ Nightingale _full merrily do sing, high trolollie lollie loe high trolollie lee, And with their pleasant roundelayes bid welcome to the_ Spring: Then care away, and wend along with me.

_This is not half the happiness the Country man injoyes; high trolollie lollie loe high trolollie lee, Though others think they have as much yet he that says so lies_: Then come away, turn County man with me_.

_Pisc_. Well sung _Coridon_, this Song was sung with mettle, and it was choicely fitted to the occasion; I shall love you for it as long as I know you: I would you were a brother of the Angle, for a companion that is cheerful and free from swearing and scurrilous discourse, is worth gold. I love such mirth as does not make friends ashamed to look upon one another next morning; nor men (that cannot wel bear it) to repent the money they spend when they be warmed with drink: and take this for a rule, you may pick out such times and such companies, that you may make your selves merrier for a little then a great deal of money; for _'Tis the company and not the charge that makes the feast_: and such a companion you prove, I thank you for it.

But I will not complement you out of the debt that I owe you, and therefore I will begin my Song, and wish it may be as well liked.

The ANGLERS Song.

_As inward love breeds outward talk, The_ Hound _some praise, and some the_ Hawk, _Some better pleas'd with private sport, Use_ Tenis, _some a_ Mistris _court: But these delights I neither wish, Nor envy, while I freely fish.

Who_ hunts, _doth oft in danger ride Who_ hauks, _lures oft both far & wide; Who uses games, may often prove A loser; but who fals in love, Is fettered in fond_ Cupids _snare: My Angle breeds me no such care.

Of Recreation there is none So free as fis.h.i.+ng is alone; All other pastimes do no less Then mind and body both possess; My hand alone my work can do, So I can fish and study too.

I care not, I, to fish in seas, Fresh rivers best my mind do please, Whose sweet calm course I contemplate; And seek in life to imitate; In civil bounds I fain would keep, And for my past offences weep.

And when the timerous_ Trout _I wait To take, and he devours my bait, How poor a thing sometimes I find Will captivate a greedy mind: And when none bite, I praise the wise, Whom vain alurements ne're surprise.

But yet though while I fish, I fast, I make good fortune my repast, And there unto my friend invite, In whom I more then that delight: Who is more welcome to my dish, Then to my Angle was my fish.

As well content no prize to take As use of taken prize to make; For so our Lord was pleased when He Fishers made Fishers of men; Where (which is in no other game) A man may fish and praise his name.

The first men that our Saviour dear Did chuse to wait upon him here, Blest Fishers were; and fish the last Food was, that he on earth did taste.

I therefore strive to follow those, Whom he to follow him hath chose.

W.B.

_Cor_. Well sung brother, you have paid your debt in good coyn, we Anglers are all beholding to the good man that made this Song. Come Hostis, give us more Ale and lets drink to him.

And now lets everie one go to bed that we may rise early; but first lets pay our Reckoning, for I wil have nothing to hinder me in the morning for I will prevent the Sun rising.

_Pet_. A match: Come _Coridon_, you are to be my Bed-fellow: I know brother you and your Scholer wil lie together; but where shal we meet to morrow night? for my friend _Coridon_ and I will go up the water towards _Ware_.