Beasts of Chace
The Buck, the first Year is called a Fawn, 2 A Pricket, 3 A Sorrel, 4 A Sore, 5 A Buck of the first Head, 6 A Great Buck.
The Doe, the first Year a Fawn, 2 A Teg, 3 A Doe.
The Fox, the first Year a Cub, 2 A Fox.
The Martern, the first Year a Cub, 2 A Martern.
The Roe, the first Year a Kid, 2 A Gyrl, 3 a Hemuse, 4 A Roe-Buck of the first Head, 5 A Fair Roe-Buck.
As for the Beasts of Warren, the Hare being spoken of before, little or nothing is to be said. The Coney is first a Rabbet, and then an Old Coney.
Thus much for their Names, Degrees, and Ages: Now let us next observe their proper Seasons for Hunting.
The Hart or Buck, beginneth fifteen Days after Mid-Summer-Day, and lasteth till Holy-Rood-Day.
The Fox, from Christmass, and lasteth till the Annunciation of the blessed Virgin Mary.
The Hinde, or Doe, from Holy-Rood-Day, till Candlemas.
The Roe-Buck, from Easter, till Michaelmas.
The Roe, from Michaelmas, till Candlemas.
The Hare, from Michaelmas, to the end of February.
Thus much I thought fit to speak briefly of the proper Names, Degrees, Ages, & Seasons of the several Chaces which we Hunt: But having almost forgot some, I shall insert here, as intending to speak somewhat of them, and they are the Badger, Otter, and Wild-Goat; the last being a Welch-Game: Many more there are which I might here enumerate, but being Forreign Chaces, I omit, as directing my Discourse to the English-Man.
As for the Terms of Art appropriated to Hunting, as the Huntsmans Dialect, they are so many and various, that should I go about to note them here, it would swell my Treatise to too big a Volume; and therefore I refer you to the Dictionaries which speak of them. And now I bring you to the second thing I proposed, viz. The Rules And Measures we are to learn and observe in the aforementioned Sports or Chaces; and in this we must begin with the Pursuers or Conquerors of these Chaces, namely;