The Master of Game

Edward of Norwich, William A. Baillie-Grohman, F. N. Baillie-Grohman, William A. Baillie-Grohman, F. N. Baillie-Grohman

• Publisher: University of Pennsylvania Press
• Year: 2013
• Print ISBN:
  9780812219371
• eBook ISBN:
  9780812200966
• Topic: History
• Subtopic: European Medieval History
• Index: History

The Master of Game is the oldest and most important work on the chase in the English language. Based primarily on Gaston de Foix's Livre de chasse, originally composed in 1387, The Master of Game was written by Edward of Norwich at his leisure between 1406 and 1413, mostly while being held prisoner for having treasonous designs against his cousin, Henry IV. While much of the book is almost an exact translation of de Foix, Edward added five chapters of his own to form the major source for our knowledge of the medieval hunt.The book begins with a description of the nature of popular quarry, such as the hare, deer, and badger, including their behavior, characteristics, and even smells, and then moves to a discussion of various hunting dog breeds and how to train them. The medieval chase was a ritual event, so the book continues with an explanation of the various rules and techniques for a successful hunt, including how food was to be distributed among the hunters, the support persons, and the dogs. Weapons and traps of choice are also described, as well as the different horn calls used for communication. The Master of Game is a unique text for naturalists, hunters, and persons interested in social history. Although hunting is nowadays far removed from most people's experience, it was of major interest in the time of Edward of Norwich for ritual, sport, and, of course, food. Some knowledge of the chase was essential for all persons of medieval times.This edition, the first paperback ever of the original version edited in 1909, includes a hearty foreword by Theodore Roosevelt, who adds some important contextual information about the chase and draws on his own vast hunting experience. A delight to read, even for those who are not keen on the sport, The Master of Game has, as one review exclaimed, " all Chaucer's freshness, love of the open sky and fragrant woodland."

GLOSSARY

OF OBSOLETE ENGLISH TERMS AND WORDS OCCURRING IN THE ANCIENT TEXTS OF “THE MASTER OF GAME” AND IN APPENDIX.

ABAI, ABAY, being at bay, 29, 118

ACHARNETH, ACHARNE, to set on, to eat flesh, 59, 60, 62

ACHAUF, heat, 38, 98

ACQUILLER, ENQUILLER, to rouse animals of the chase with hounds, App.

AFERAUNT, the haunch, 38

AFFETED, fashioned, trained, 27, 141

AFORCE, par force, by force, App.

AIGUILLOUNCE, thorny

AKELID, cooled, 186

AKIRE, AKKERNE, acorns, 144

ALAUNTIS, ALAUNTZ, ALOND, allans or allauntes, a large hound, 3, 116–8

ALVELUE, covered with fleece, fat or woolly substance, App.

ANALED, for avaled, hanging down, 114

ANCEPS, HAUSSEPIED, a snare which caught the game by the foot and lifted it into the air, 61

ANCHES, rosemary

APEL, French hunting-note, App.

APERYNG, stoned, the roughness of antlers, 143

APPARAILLE, dressed venison

ARBITTEN, bitten, devoured

ARBLAST, cross-bow, 27

ARECHE, reach, 60

ARERE, arrière, behind, back there, 182, App.

AREYN, spider, 137

AREYN, rain, 157

ARRACHER, to tear out; a term used for skinning certain animals, App.

ASAUTE, SAUTE, in heat, 64, 66

ASCRIETHE, ASCRIE, to rate, shout at, to scold, 63, 74, 170

ASSAIEN, try or test, 88

ASSAYE, ESSAY, to try; taking assay, to see by a cut the thickness of the fat, App.

ASSISE, note on hunting-horn blown at death of stag which has been hunted by staghounds, App.

ASTERTE, escape

ASTIFLED, inflammation in the stifle-joint, 103

ASTRIED, rated, shouted at, 170

ATHREST, thrust or push, 106

ATTE FULLE, when the stag’s antlers show a certain number of tines, App.

ATTIRE, the stag’s antlers, App.

AUALED, AVAILED, hanging down, 106, 114

AUERILLE, Avrille, April, 30

AUNTELERE, AUNTILLER, AUNCULER, antler, 130, 140

AUNTRED, ventured, 28

AVAUNT, AU...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Title Page
• Copyright Page
• Contents
• List of Illustrations
• Introduction
• Foreword To The First Edition
• I. The Prologue
• II. Of The Hare And Of Her Nature
• III. Of The Hart And His Nature
• IV. Of The Buck And Of His Nature
• V. Of The Roe And of His Nature
• VI. Of The Wild Boar And of His Nature
• VII. Of The Wolf And of His Nature
• VIII. Of The Fox And of His Nature
• IX. Of The Grey (Badger) And of His Nature
• X. Of The (Wild) Cat And Its Nature
• XI. The Otter And His Nature
• XII. Of The Manner And Habits And Conditions of Hounds
• XIII. Of Sicknesses Of Hounds And of Their Corruptions
• XIV. Of Running Hounds And of Their Nature
• XV. Of Greyhounds And of Their Nature
• XVI. Of Alauntes And of Their Nature
• XVII. Of Spaniels And of Their Nature
• XVIII. Of The Mastiff And of His Nature
• XIX. What Manner And Condition A Good Hunter Should Have
• XX. How The Kennel For The Hounds And The Couples For The Raches And The Ropes For The Lymer Should Be Made
• XXI. How The Hounds Should Be Led Out To Scombre
• XXII. How A Hunter’S Horn Should Be Driven
• XXIII. How A Man Should Lead His Groom In Quest For To Know A Hart By His Trace
• XXIV. How A Man Should Know A Great Hart By The Fumes
• XXV. How A Man Should Know A Great Hart By The Place Where He Hath Frayed His Head
• XXVI. How The Ordinance Should Be Made For The Hart Hunting By Strength And How The Hart Should Be Harboured
• XXVII. How A Hunter Should Go In Quest By The Sight
• XXVIII. How An Hunter Should Go In Quest Between The Plains And The Wood
• XXIX. How A Hunter Should Go In Quest In The Coppice And The Young Wood
• XXX. How An Hunter Should Go In Quest In Great Coverts And Strengths
• XXXI. How A Hunter Should Quest In Clear Spires And High Wood
• XXXII. How A Good Hunter Shall Go In Quest To Hear The Harts Bellow
• XXXIII. How The Assembly That Men Call Gathering Should Be Made Both Winter And Summer After The Guise Of Beyond The Sea
• XXXIV. How The Hart Should Be Moved With The Lymer And Run To And Slain With Strength
• XXXV. How An Hunter Should Seek And Find The Hare With Running Hounds And Slay Her With Strength
• XXXVI. Of The Ordinance And The Manner Of Hunting When The King Will Hunt In Forests Or In Parks For The Hart With Bows And Greyhounds And Stable
• Appendix
• List of Some Books Consulted And Abbreviations Used In Text
• Glossary
• Index