Page:Of-englishe-dogges.djvu/27

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Engliſhe Dogges.
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ceaseth untill he haue wearyed the Beast to death. Our countrey men call this dogge Agasœum. A gasehounde because the beames of his sight are so stedfastly setled and vnmoueably fastened. These Dogges are much and vsually occupyed in the Northern partes of England more then in the Southern parts, and in fealdy landes rather then in bushy and wooddy places, horsemen vse them more then footemen to th'intent that they might prouoke their horses to a swift galloppe (wherwith they are more delighted then with the pray it selfe), and that they might accustome theyr horse to leape ouer hedges and ditches, without stoppe or stumble, without harme or hassard, without doubt or daunger, and so escape with safegard of lyfe. And to the ende that the ryders themselues when necessitie so constrained, and the feare of further mischiefe inforced, myght saue themselues vndamnifyed, and preuent each perilous tempest by preparing speedy flight, or else by swift pursute made vpon theyr enimyes, myght both ouertake them, encounter with them, and make a slaughter of them accordingly. But if it fortune so at any time that this Dogge take a wrong way, the master making some vsual signe and familiar token, he returneth forthwith, and taketh the right and ready trace, beginning his chase a fresh, & with a cleare voyce, and a swift foote followeth the game with as much courage and nimblenesse as he did at the first.

Of the Dogge called the Grehounde, in Latine Leporarius.

THere is another kinde of Dogge which for his incredible swiftnesse is called Leporarius a Grehounde because the principall seruice of them dependeth and consisteth in starting and hunting the hare, which Dogges likewyse are indued with no lesse strength then lightnes in maintenance of the game, in seruing the chase, in taking the Bucke, the