, pulling the nets, and labouring as much as any
fisherman of them all: and when some belike objected to him the baseness of
his office, he excused himself, [3240]"that if other men might hunt hares,
why should not he hunt carps?" Many gentlemen in like sort with us will
wade up to the arm-holes upon such occasions, and voluntarily undertake
that to satisfy their pleasures, which a poor man for a good stipend would
scarce be hired to undergo. Plutarch, in his book _de soler. animal._
speaks against all fishing, [3241]"as a filthy, base, illiberal employment,
having neither wit nor perspicacity in it, nor worth the labour." But he
that shall consider the variety of baits for all seasons, and pretty
devices which our anglers have invented, peculiar lines, false flies,
several sleights, &c. will say, that it deserves like commendation,
requires as much study and perspicacity as the rest, and is to be preferred
before many of them. Because hawking and hunting are very laborious, much
riding, and many dangers accompany them; but this is still and quiet: and
if so be the angler catch no fish, yet he hath a wholesome walk to the
brookside, pleasant shade by the sweet silver streams; he hath good air,
and sweet smells of fine fresh meadow flowers, he hears the melodious
harmony of birds, he sees the swans, herons, ducks, water-horns, coots,
&c., and many other fowl, with their brood, which he thinketh better than
the noise of hounds, or blast of horns, and all the sport that they can
make.

Many other sports and recreations there be, much in use, as ringing,
bowling, shooting, which Ascam recommends in a just volume, and hath in
former times been enjoined by statute, as a defensive exercise, and an
[3242]honour to our land, as well may witness our victories in France.
Keelpins, tronks, quoits, pitching bars, hurling, wrestling, leaping,
running, fencing, mustering, swimming, wasters, foils, football, balloon,
quintain, &c., and many such, which are the common recreations of the
country folks. Riding of great horses, running at rings, tilts and
tournaments, horse races, wild-goose chases, which are the disports of
greater men, and good in themselves, though many gentlemen by that means
gallop quite out of their fortunes.

But the most pleasant of all outward pastimes is that of [3243]Areteus,
_deambulatio per amoena loca_, to make a petty progress, a merry journey
now and then with some good companions, to visit friends, see cit