The Compleat Angler

eter, Venat

oo. My friend is one that would fain be a brother of the angle: he hath been an angler but this day; and I have taught him how to catch a Chub,

t witty companion, that met me here purposely to be pleasant and eat a Trout; and I have not yet wetted m

stay so long; for, look you! here is a

some of your best barley-wine, the good liquor that our honest forefathers did use to think of;

furnish him with a rod, if you will furnish him with the rest of the tackling: we will set him up, and make him a fisher. And I will tell him one thing for his encouragement, that his fortune hath made him happy to be sch

pleasant and civilly merry, that my resolution is to hide nothing that I know from him. Believe me, scholar, th

for I hope to return you an increase answerable to your hopes: but, however,

ovely; it was twenty-two inches when it was taken; and the belly of it looked, some part of it, as yellow

, and tastes well: I thank you for it, and so

and, when we have supped, I will get my fri

er, else, to be plain with you, I will sing none. I am

n hall, When

lliam Basse; one that hath made the choice songs of the "Hunter in his Career," and of "To

the praise of a Countryman's l

-morrow night; for we will not part till then; but fish to-morrow, and sup

h against then, too, which shall give some addition of mirth

ink the other cup to whet our whistles, and so sing away all sad thoughts. Come o

. Look, the shortest

n, I will begin, f

on's

weet con

tryman d

lollie lo

trolol

et conte

eth all

car

d along

are full

too oft

llie lollie

full of w

are full

are aw

he honest

uly from

ollie loll

is in hi

es, and

are aw

ng is good

set for

ollie loll

and not ga

prolong

are aw

an, tho' he

the h

ollie loll

ror so

s his ti

are aw

pense ou

ns afford

ollie loll

r sweet re

affords

are aw

and the n

rrily d

ollie loll

eir pleasan

ome to t

are aw

t half the

ntryman

llie lollie

s think they

hat says

come

ntrymen

Chal

ing 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 well bear it, to repent the money they spend when they be warmed with drink. And take this

bt that I owe you, and therefore I will beg

gler's

ove breeds

e praise, and

pleas'd with

some a mis

elights I n

while I fr

doth oft in

ures oft bot

ames shall

ut who fal

in fond Cu

reeds me n

tion ther

s fishing

pastimes

and body b

lone my w

fish and

, I, to fi

best my min

calm course

in life t

unds I fain

past offe

e timorous

nd he devo

thing, some

ivate a g

e bite, I pr

lurements ne

ugh while I

d fortune

nto my fri

ore than th

e welcome

y angle w

tent no pri

taken priz

Lord was pl

made fish

h is in no

ish and pra

en that our

to wait upo

s were, and

t he on eart

strive to

follow him

.

song: come, hostess, give us more ale, and let's drink to him. And now let's every one go to bed, that we may rise early: but

er, you and your scholar will lie together. But where shall we meet to-mo

olar and I will go d

heets that smell of lavender; and I am sure we cann

atch. Good-nigh

r. And

. And s

four

lar and me a morning drink, and a bit of meat to breakfast: and be sure to get a dish of meat o

wards the river, give me direction, according

, I will take this very con

a peek, or with a fly, viz. either a natural or an artificial fly: con

hers of, or amongst plants, as the dug-worm; and others breed either out of excrements, or in the bodies of l

ead, a streak down the back, and a broad tail, which are noted to be the best, because they are the toughest and most lively, and live longest in the water; for you are to know that a dead worm is but a dead bait, and like to catch nothing, compared to a lively, quick, stirring worm. And for a brandling, he is usually

ve an hour in water, and then put them into fennel, for sudden use: but if you have time, and purpose to keep them long, then they be best preserved in an earthen pot, with good store of moss, which is to be fresh every three or four days in summer, and every week or eight days in winter; or, at least, the moss taken from them, and clean washed, and wrung betwixt your hands till it be dry, and then put it to them again. And when your worms, especially the brandling, begins to be sick and lose of his bigness, then you may recover him, by putting a little milk or cream, about a spoonful in a day, into them, by drops on the moss; and if there be added to the cream an egg beaten and boiled in it, then it will both fatten and preserve them long. And note, that when the knot, which is near to the middle of the brandling, begin

d the loss of many a hook, too, when you fish for a Trout with a running line; that is to say, when you f

y come out toward the head-end; and, having drawn him above the arming of your hook, then put the point of your hook again into the very head of the worm, till it come near to the place where the point of the hook first came out, and then draw back that part of the worm that was above the shank or arming of your hook, and so fish

minnow must be so put on your hook, that it must turn round when 'tis drawn against the stream; and, that it may turn nimbly, you must put it on a big-sized hook, as I shall now direct you, which is thus: Put your hook in at his mouth, and out at his gill; then, having drawn your hook two or three inches beyond or through his gill, put it again into his mouth, and the point and beard out at his tail; and then tie the hook and his tail about, very neatly, with a white thread, which will make it the apter to turn quick in the water; that done, pull back that part of your line which was slack when you did put your hook into the minnow the second time; I say, pull that part of your line back, so that it shall fasten th

een silk towards the belly, shadowed as perfectly as you can imagine, just as you see a minnow: the belly was wrought also with a needle, and it was, a part of it, white silk; and another part of it with silver thread: the tail and fins were of a quill, which was shaven thin: the eyes were of two little black beads: and the head was so shadowed, and all of it so curiously wrought, and so exactly dissembled, that it would beguile any sharp-sighted Trout in a swift stream. And this minnow I will now shew you; look,

dun-fly, the stone-fly, the red-fly, the moor-fly, the tawny-fly, the shell-fly, the cloudy or blackish-fly, the flag-fly, the vine-fly; there be of flies, caterpillars, and canker-flies, and be

e, in a discourse, but to run over those very many flies, worms, and little living creatures, with which the sun and summer adorn and beautify the river-banks a

the earth, or upon broad leaves, their motion being not unlike to the waves of the sea. Some of them he also observes to be bred of the eggs of other caterpillars, and that those in their time turn to be butterflies; and again, that their eggs turn the following year to be caterpillars. And some affirm, that every plant has its particular fly or caterpillar, which it breeds and feeds. I have seen, and may therefore affirm it, a green caterpillar, or worm, as big as a small peascod, which had fourteen legs; eight on the belly, four under the neck, and two near the tail. It was found on a hedge of privet; and was taken thence, and put into a large box, and a little branch or two of privet put to it, on which I saw it fee

n particular herbs or leaves; for most think, those very leaves that gave them life and shape, give them a particular feeding and nourishment, and that upon them they usually abide; yet he observes, that this is called a pilgrim, or palmer-worm, for his very wandering life

; his feet and hinder parts green; his tail two-forked and black; the whole body stained with a kind of red spots, which run along the neck and shoulder-blade, not unlike the form of St. Andrew's cross, or the letter X, made thus crosswise, and a white line drawn down his back to his tail; all which add much beauty to his whole body. And it is to me observable, tha

nly as we sit down under this honeysuckle hedge, whilst I look a line to fit the rod that our brother Peter

ented to each

e the virtue

wisdom, many

odies, withou

umour breeds t

like to her bi

hundred winter

ire, tho'glowin

, in burning f

sta with the

re, it dies: w

which each shin

?tes undern

those goslings

leaves, falling

say, to living

es of broken s

O transforma

reen tree; then

hroom; now,

e and wonder: but, I pray, when shall I have your direction how to make artific

at time, and in that place, we will make a brave breakfast with a piece of powdered beef, and a radish or two, that I have in my fish bag: we shall, I warrant you, make a good, honest, wholesome hungry breakfast. And

will observe and practice your

see it is a Trout. I pray, put that net under him; and touch not my l

me lay down your rod, and help me to land this as you did the oth

ave no fortune: sure, master, yours

lar, I have another. Come, do as you did before. And now I have a bite at

, and a goo

lost; for pray take notice, no

r catch with the first nor se

omplained of to the lender of it: and was thus answered: "I lent you, indeed, my fiddle, but not my fiddle-stick; for you are to know, that every one cannot make musick with my words, which are fitted for my own mouth". And so, my scholar, you are to know, that as the ill pronunciation or ill accenting of words in a sermon spoils it, so the ill carriage of your line, or not fishing even to a foot in a right place, makes you lose your labour: and you are to know, that though you have my fiddle, that is, my very rod and tacklings with which you see I catch fish, yet you have not my fiddle-st

rovidence of an old angler? Does not this meat taste well? and was not this plac

re their stomachs are empty of their last meat and call for more; for by that means they rob themselves of that pleasure that hunger brings to poor men". And I do seriously approve of that saying of yours, "that you had rather be a civil, well-governed, well

your promised direction for makin

not think yourself more engaged to me than indeed you really are, I will freely give you such directions as

k silk; and the feathers are the wings of the drake; with the feathers of a red capon also, which hang dangling on his sides next to the tail. The fifth is the yellow or greenish fly, in May likewise: the body made of yellow wool; and the wings made of the red cock's hackle or tail. The sixth is the black-fly, in May also: the body made of black wool, and lapt about with the herle of a peacock's tail: the wings are made of the wings of a brown capon, with his blue feathers in his head. The seventh is the sad yellow-fly in June: the body is made of black wool, with a yellow list on either side; and the wings taken off the wings of a buzzard, bound with black braked hemp. The eighth is the moorish-fly; made, with the body, of duskish wool; and the wings made of the blackish mail of t

h as are given by Mr. Thomas Barker, a gentleman that hath spent

your line: but if you can attain to angle with one hair, you shall have more rises, and catch more fish. Now you must be sure not to cumber yourself with too long a line, as most do. And before you begin to angle, cast to have the wind on your back; and the sun, if it shines, to be

a little windy or cloudy; the best fishing is with the palmer-worm, of which I last spoke to you; but of these there be div

he hackle of a cock or capon's neck, or a plover's top, which is usually better: take off the one side of the feather, and then take the hackle, silk or crewel, gold or silver thread; make these fast at the bent of the hook, that is to say, below your arming; then you must take the hackle, the silver or gold thread, and work it up to the wings, shifting or still removing your finger as you turn the silk about the hook, and still looking, at every stop or turn, that your gold, or what materials soever you make your fly of, do

always hooks ready-hung with him, and having a bag always with him, with bear's hair, or the hair of a brown or sad-coloured heifer, hackles of a cock or capon, several coloured silk and crewel to make the body of the fly, the feathers of a drake's head, black or brown sheep's wool, or hog's wool, or hair, thread of gold and of silver; silk of several colours, especially sad-coloured, to make the fly's head: and there be also other coloured feathers, both o

hen I wish I were in Lapland, to buy a good wind of one of th

nd by the clouds, if I mistake not, we shall presently have a smoking shower, and therefore sit close; this sycamore-t

notice that of the winds the south win

e wind i

bait into a

the weather be not made extreme cold by an east wind, shall be a little superstitious: for as it is observed by some, that "there is no good horse of a bad colour"; so I have observed, that if it be a cloudy day, and not extreme cold, let the wind sit in what corner it will and do its worst, I heed it

; darkening it in most places with waxed silk; or ribbed with black hair; or, some of them, ribbed with silver thread; and such wings, for the colour, as you see the fly to have at that season, nay, at that very day on the wa

h down the stream. And when you fish with a fly, if it be possible, let no part of your line touch the water, but your fly only;

y of which is orange colour and black crewel, with a brown wing. Or a fly made with a peacock's feather is excellent in a bright day: you must be sure you want not in your magazine-bag the peacock's feather; and grounds of such wool and crewel as will make the grasshopper. And note, that usually the smallest flies are

st; it is a brownish fly and easy to be so found, and stands usually with his head downward, that is to say, towards the root of the tree: the small black-fly, or Hawthorn-fly, is to be had on any hawthorn bush after the leaves be come forth. With these and a short line, as I shewed to angle for a Chub, you may cape

ntly that meadow looks; nay, and the earth smells so sweetly too. Come let me tell you what holy Mr. Herbert says of such days and flowers as

cool, so cal

of the ea

all weep thy

ou mus

hose hue, ang

sh gazer wi

s ever in

ou mus

full of sweet

sweets com

ws you have

ll mu

et and vir

'd timber,

whole world t

hiefly

ithout offence to God or man: and I thank you for the sweet close of your discourse with Mr. Herbert's verses; who, I have heard, loved angling; and

am pleased to know that you are so well

that professes to imitate him, and has indeed done so most excellently, hath writ of our book of Common Pra

h' book? and Comm

irit o

uppli

left fr

me and

: to read, or

ke to him

hat with his

rivate, by the

ay, m

erty the

ing of

in to

ost intimate a

t sees in

conceal'd f

unto others

blic

d do

hat hear,

eed no

earts unto his

oubt they w

hen they meant

add life unt

y shou

hich au

bes, es

ntag

e good, the com

e Church's w

all prayers b

, which we left in the water to fish for themselves; and you shall ch

boeus did under their broad beech-tree. No life, my honest scholar, no life so happy and so pleasant as the life of a well-governed angler; for when the lawyer is swallowed up with business, and the statesman is preventing or contriving plots, then we sit on cowslip-banks, hear the birds sing, and possess ourselves in as much quietness

harles the emperor did of the city of Florence: "That they were too pleasant to be looked on, but only on holy-days"

gler's

flowery mea

streams shou

rmonious bu

Angle woul

nd see the

aste mate to

bank, feel t

and plenty: p

ew-drops kiss

hed off by A

my Kenna

blackbird f

rock buil

my weary sp

low-pitch'd t

hat poor mo

om law-suits

courts, I wo

y Bryan, a

days near Sh

y him, and

e sun both r

ood morning

itate my

on; and

sage to a w

t honeysuckle hedge, one that will prove worth your acquaintance. I sat down by him, and present

e sum that was got that week proved to be but twenty and some odd shillings. The odd money was agreed to be distributed amongst the poor of their own corporation: and for the remaining twenty shillings, that was to be divided unto four gentlemen gypsies, according to their several degrees in their commonwealth. And the first or chiefest gypsy

r exa

6s. 8d.

4 times 5s

5 times 4s

times 3s.

ypsy, that though he gave to every one these said

exampl

-

. . . .

aining shilling belonged to him; and so they fell to so high a contest about it, as none that knows the faithfulness of one gypsy to another will easily believe; only we that have lived these last twenty years are certain that money has been able to do much mischief. However, the gypsi

s ever heard to proceed from the mouth of the pertinacious schismatick; and sometimes all the beggars, whose number was neither more nor less than the poets' nine muses, talked all together about this ripping and unripping; and so loud, that not one heard what the other said: but, at last, one beggar craved audience; and told them that old father Clause, whom Ben Jonson, in his Beggar's Bush, created King of their corporation, was to lodge at an ale-house, called "Catch-her-by-the-way," not far from Waltham Cross, and in the high road towar

the sun; play,

s enough to

of viols

r merry cl

th want where

life is f

nd play, slee

will, so sto

the sun; play,

s enough to

s ours, and

ne have wo

e not, all

nd streets we

get, nor f

reak a Beg

, play; play,

s enough to

ead of blac

urely feed If any

efore, as su

lord it as

eggars liv

the sun; play,

s enough to

e of merriment, and this song, which was well hu

orced to patch up, for it is so long since I learnt it, that I have forgot a part of it. But, come, now it hath done raining, let's stretch our legs a little in a gentle walk t

ster, a fish! a fish! Oh, al

e had been fellow to the great Trout that is near an ell long, which was of such a length and depth, that he had his picture drawn, and now is to be seen at mine host Rickabie's, at the George in Ware, and it may be, by giving that very great Trout the rod, that is, b

e heard that the great Trou

wonder seem yet less, that hares change sexes, note that Dr. Mer. Casaubon affirms, in his book "Of credible and incredible things," that Gasper Peucerus, a learned physician, tells us of a people that once a year turn wolves, partly in shape, and partly in conditions. And so, wh

t which I had hold of die? for it is

n probable he will live, and a little time, with the help of the water, will rust the hook, and i

asure some poor body, as we go to our lodging to meet our brother Peter and honest Coridon. Come, now bait your hook again, and lay it into the water, for it

ood master, I p

shall tell you a little more of Trout-fishing, before I speak of the

ear to some swift, there draw your bait over the top of the water, to and fro, and if there be a good Trout in the hole, he will take it, especially if the night be dark, for then he is bold, and lies near the top of the water, watching the motion of any frog or water-rat, or mouse, that swims betwixt him and the sky; these he hunts after, if he sees the water but wrinkle or move in one of these dead ho

he night be not dark, then fish so with an artificial fly of a light colour, and at the snap: nay, he will sometimes rise at a dead mouse, or a piece of cloth, or anything that seems to swim

used to catch Trouts in the night, by the light of a torch or straw, which, when they have discovered, they strike with a Trout-spear, or othe

er, do not Trouts

of sounds, by demonstrating it thus: "That if you knock two stones together very deep under the water, those that stand on a bank near to that place may hear the noise without any diminution of it by the water ". He also offers the like experiment concerning the letting an anchor fall, by a very long cable or

a certain place, in a pond, to be fed at the ringing of a bell or the beating of a drum. And, however, it shall be a rule for me

m, several fish that appeared and came when they were called by their particular names. And St. James tells us, that all things in the sea have been tamed by mankind. And Pliny tells us, that Antonia, the wife of Drusus, had a Lamprey at whose gills she hung jewel

fuge; ne n

thou be guiltle

sacred fishes

overeign, and wi

s greater in the

names, and, whe

everal owner'

ll be, to advise anglers to be patient, and forbe

ore they came to feed in it; and coarser, again, if they shall return to their former pasture; and, again, return to a finer wool, being fed in the fine wool ground: which I tell you, that you may the better believe that I am certain, if I catch a Trout in one meadow, he shall be white and faint, and very like to be lousy; and, as certainly, it I catch a

e Umber or Grayling; which is so like a Trout for his shape and feeding, that I desire I may e

th day-c

er or G