The Teesdale Angler Part 5

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OCTOBER.

1. House Fly,--lark's quill feather,--light brown silk,--ribbed with dark Ostrich herl for body,--legs grizzled hackle. 2. Small Olive Blue,--wings Starling's feather stained with onion peelings,--yellow silk for body,--legs olive stained hackle. 3. Dark Grey Midge,--wings dark grey feather of a Partridge,--body brown silk,--legs grey Partridge hackle.

RED PALMER.

Body greenish herl of Peac.o.c.k,--ribbed with gold tinsel,--wrapt with red silk,--red hackle over all.

BLACK PALMER.

Body dark Peac.o.c.k's herl,--ribbed with gold tinsel,--green silk, black, brown or red hackle over all.

MAY FLIES.

THE YELLOW, GREY, AND GREEN DRAKES.

These flies, which are known as May flies, afford great sport. Trout and Greyling are so partial to them that they refuse all others during the time they are on the water, but they are not common to all rivers.

The Driffield, Derwent and other Yorkshire streams, have them in great abundance. The best chance with the artificial May fly, is when there is wind stirring sufficient to cause a pretty considerable curl on the water. The _Yellow Drake_ may be made in this way,--a Mallard's back feather dyed yellow; for wings, c.o.c.k's hackle dyed yellow; underneath the wings to make them stand upright, yellow camlet, ribbed with brown silk for body; tail, two hairs from Squirrel's tail. _Grey Drake_,--wings from Mallard's back feather, black c.o.c.k's hackle underneath; body sky blue camlet ribbed with copper coloured Peac.o.c.k's herl; tail from Squirrel. _Green Drake_,--same as yellow except the wings, which must be from a Mallard's feather dyed a yellowish green.

I have not deemed it requisite to introduce any ill.u.s.trations of flies, because I cannot conceive that any really beneficial results are obtainable by merely showing the difference on paper between natural and artificial flies. Catch the natural fly, imitate it as closely as possible; put your made fly into a tumbler of clear water, then if the size and the prevailing colours as to body and wings resemble your copy, you are all right. This appears to me the best comparative ill.u.s.tration.

I beg to suggest to those who have opportunity and leisure, that they might at the cost of a little trouble, make a collection of all the flies that come on the waters, where they are accustomed to angle. They are easily caught and preserved, and if cla.s.sed according to the months during which they were found, would be useful and interesting to themselves and friends, if only to refer to when manufacturing flies.

HOW TO MAKE A HACKLE FLY.

Take a hook of the required size, between the finger and thumb of your left hand, with the point towards the end of your finger, place the gut along the top of the shank, and with the silk bind them tightly together, beginning half way down the shank, and wrap the end, take two turns back again which will form the head of the fly; lay the feather along the hook, the point towards your left hand, and take three turns over it with the silk, clip off the points of the feather, and bind it neatly round till the fibre is consumed, bring the silk round the root of the feather to bind to the end of the tail of the fly. Cut off all superfluities and fasten off by the drawn knots, then with a needle trim the fibres and your fly is made.

TO MAKE A WINGED FLY.

Have your materials ready, wings silk &c., of the colour you require, then take a hook between the forefinger and thumb of your left hand, with the point towards your forefinger, place the gut at the top of the shank, and with the silk bind them tightly together, bind all tight within two or three turns of the shank of the hook. Take the feather for wings, lay the feather's point the proper length between your finger and thumb along the hook, and take two or three turns over it for the head of the fly, and bind the gut between the second and third fingers of your left hand, and with the scissors clip off the root end of the feather, wrap the silk back again once under the wings, setting them upwards; with the point of the needle divide equally the wings crossing the silk between them. Lay the hackle for legs, root end towards the bend of the hook, wrap your silk over it and so make the body of your fly, then take the fibre end of the hackle, rib the body of the fly neatly with it, till you reach the silk hanging down, wind the silk twice or thrice over the hackle, fasten with the usual knots, and your fly is complete.

MATERIALS REQUIRED FOR MAKING WINGED AND HACKLE FLIES.

In the manufacture of winged flies a great variety of feathers are required. Procure those of a Mallard, Teal, Partridge, especially the tail feathers; also, the wings of a Starling, Jay, Landrail, Waterhen, Blackbird, Fieldfare, Pheasant Hen, Pewitt's Topping, Peac.o.c.k's Herl, green and copper coloured, black Ostrich herl, Snipe, Dottrel, Woodc.o.c.k and golden Plover's wings, the tail feathers of the blue and brown t.i.tmouse, and also Heron's plumes. Dubbing is to be had from old Turkey Carpet, Hare ears, Water Rat's fur, Squirrel, Mohair, old hair cast from young cattle, of a red, blue, brown, black and fawn colour from behind a Spaniel's ears, and from the fur of a Mouse, and note, Martin's fur is the best yellow that can be had. In regard to Silks be careful to suit the colour of the silk (at least as much so as you possibly can,) to the hackle you select for dubbing with. Thus with a Dun hackle, use yellow silk; a black hackle, sky blue; a brown or red hackle, red or dark orange do.

The above selection of silks and dubbing are for Palmers and winged flies generally. It is a good plan however to take and wet your dubbing previous to making use of it, because when dry it may appear the exact colour you need, yet wetted quite the reverse. To acquire an accurate knowledge of any dubbing, hold it between the sun and your eyes.

Mohairs may be had of all colours, black, blue, yellow and tawny, from _feuille morte_ a dead leaf, and Isabella which is a whitish yellow soiled buff.

TO MAKE A PALMER FLY.

Take a length of fine round silk worm gut, half a yard of silk well waxed, (wax if possible of the same colour,) take a No. three or four hook, hold it by the bend between the forefinger and thumb of the left hand, with the shank towards your right hand, and with the point and beard of your hook not under your fingers, but nearly parallel with the tips of them, then take the silk and hold it about the middle of it with your hook, one part laying along the inside of it to your left hand, the other to your right; then take that part of the silk which lies towards your right hand between the forefinger and thumb of that hand, and holding that part towards your left tight along the inside of the hook, whip that to the right three or four times round the shank of the hook towards the right hand, after which take the gut and lay either of its ends along the inside of the shank of the hook, till it comes near the bend of it, then hold the hook, silk and gut tight between the forefinger and thumb of your left hand, and afterwards put that portion of silk into your right, giving three or four more whips over both gut and hook, until it approaches the end of the shank, then make a loop and fasten it tight, then whip it neatly again over both silk, gut, and hook, until it comes near to the end of the hook, make another loop and fasten it again; now wax the longest end of the silk again, then hold your Ostrich strand, dubbing on whatever you have selected, and hook as at first with the silk just waxed anew, whip them three or four times round at the bend of the hook, making them tight by a loop as before, then the strands to your right hand and twisting them and the silk together with the forefinger and thumb of the right hand, wind them round the shank tight, till you come to the place where you fastened, then loop and fasten again, then take your scissors and cut the body of the Palmer into an oval shape, that is, small at the head and the end of the shank, but full in the centre; don't cut too much of the dubbing off. Now both ends of the silk are separated, one at the bend, the other at the end of the shank, wax them afresh, then take the hackle, hold the small end of it between the forefinger and thumb of your left hand, and stroke the fibres of it with those of your right, the contrary way to what they are formed; hold your hook as at the beginning, and place the point of the hackle on its bend with that side growing next to the c.o.c.k's neck upwards, then whip it tight to the hook, but in fastening, avoid if possible, tying the fibres; the hackle now being fast, take it by the large end and keeping that side which lies to the neck of the c.o.c.k to the left hand, begin with your right hand to wind it up the shank upon the dubbing, stopping every second turn, and holding what you have wound tight with the fingers of your left hand, whilst with a needle you pick out the fibres unavoidably left in; proceed in this manner till you come to where you first fastened, and where an end of the silk remains; then clip off the fibres of the hackle which you hold between your finger and thumb close to the stem, and hold the stem close to the hook, afterwards take the silk in your right hand and whip the stem fast to the hook, and make it tight: clip off the remaining silk at both bend and shank of the hook, and also all fibres that start or don't stand well, and then your fly is complete.

GOLDEN PALMER.

Take the hair of a black Spaniel for dubbing, ribbed with gold twist, and a red hackle over all.

SILVER HACKLE PALMER.

The same dubbing as for the Golden Palmer, silver twist over that, and a brown red hackle, and note, when you make Golden or Silver Palmers, and when whipping the end of the hackle to the head of the hook, do the same to the twist whether Gold or Silver, first winding on the dubbing, observing that they lie flat on it, then fasten off and proceed with the hackle, or you may wind the hackle on the dubbing first, and rib the body with either of the twists afterwards. Palmers may be made so as to suit all waters by making them of various colours and sizes, and it is a good plan to fish with a Palmer until you know to a certainty what fly is on the water. Hackles for Palmers should consist of red, dun, yellow, orange and black, they should not by any means exceed half an inch in length. A strong brown red hackle is exceedingly valuable.

Any person who can make a Palmer will make winged flies without difficulty.

TO MAKE HACKLE FLIES.

Select a feather the colour you want, and whose fibres are of the length suitable for the size of the fly you wish to dress. Strip off all superfluous fibres, leaving on the stem of the feather no more than you require for your fly, then having previously waxed about half a yard of fine silk of whatever colour you deem best, take your gut or hair and hook into your left hand, lay the gut inside the shank of the hook nearly down to the bend, then whip the gut and hook, at the end of your hook together, then lay your feather the reverse way from the top of the feather on to the gut and hook, make fast the feather with your silk, then wind your silk on the hook as far as you intend the fibres to extend, holding the hook, gut and silk in your left, with your right wind the fibres down to the silk and make all fast, then wind the remaining part of the gut and hook as far as nearly the bend of the hook with your silk, and fasten; wind your silk back again to the feather, make all fast, cut off the remains of the silk, smooth down the fibres, press them between your finger and thumb, and having arranged them to your mind, the fly is completed. Instead of carrying the silk back again to the feather from the bend of the hook, you may finish there, if you prefer doing so. I prefer the former. Making hackle flies is such an easy matter, that any person with any ingenuity and attention, may soon become a proficient in fabrication of them, and by diligent observation as to the size, colour, and peculiarities of the great variety of natural flies, which make their appearance on the water at particular seasons and hours of the day, he will at all times be enabled to pursue his diversion with the best chance of success.

Nature best followed best secures the sport.

WORM OR BOTTOM FISHING.

You may take Trout in February with the worm if the weather is mild, and continue to do so until the end of October. It is a most alluring and destructive bait, and requires more skill to fish it properly than is generally supposed. After rain, when rivers or brooks are somewhat beyond their usual bounds, a well scoured lob worm will take the best of fish. For worm fishing you must have a yard of good gut attached to your cast line, which line ought to be of the same thickness from the gut to the loop of your reel line, your hooks may be a trifle larger in the Spring than in the Summer, and should be tied on to the gut with good strong red silk; two No. 4 or 5 shot corns, partially split, and then fastened upon the gut about five or six inches from the hooks, and from two to three from each other, are generally sufficient in a strong water to sink your worm to the requisite depth, but in low and fine waters, use two of No. 6, and sometimes one will be sufficient. In worm fishing never attempt to fish down, but always up a stream, and when you are aware that you have a bite, slacken your line a little in order to give time to the fish to gorge, then strike quickly, but not too hard, and land your prize without delay; you need not make more than two or three casts in one place, because if there is a fish he will in those casts either take or refuse your bait. In summer when the water is low and fine, and the thermometer about seventy-five Farenheit, capital sport may be had with well scoured Brandlings, perhaps this sort of fishing is _nulli secundus_, inferior to none in the exercise of skill and ingenuity. The immortal Shakespeare, must surely have fished the worm in clear waters, for he says, "the finest angling 'tis of all to see the fish with his golden fins, cleave the golden flood, and greedily devour the treacherous hook." In the Spring you must give your fish more time before you strike them than in the Summer; because having been sickly and altogether out of order, and not yet having recovered his usual strength and activity, he bites but languidly, and does not gorge so quickly as when in prime condition. When you find Trout pulling or s.n.a.t.c.hing at the worm, which may be termed runaway bites, and when in fact they neither take it nor let it alone, it is a sign they are full, and the best plan to effect a capture under such circ.u.mstance is to strike that moment they touch your bait, for if you do not succeed by a snap, but allow them time, they will only play with it for a few moments, and then finally leave you in the lurch. In concluding my observations on worm fishing, I can with confidence affirm that it is, as a bait for Trout, the most destructive and certain agent the angler (taking the season through) can make use of.

The author of Don Juan certainly did not flatter a worm fisher, one part of his a.s.sertion however is undoubtedly true, the worm was at one end, but it did not necessarily follow, that a fool was at the other.

His poetic and satirical lordship probably never saw Trout taken with the worm in a clear stream, if he had I think he would have been satisfied that there was nothing foolish about it. Osbaldiston in his _British Field Sports_, under the head of _Allurements for Fish_, recommends the gum of ivy, he says, "take gum ivy and put a good deal of it into a box made of oak, and rub the inside of it with this gum; when you angle, put three or four worms into it, but they must not remain long, for if they do, it will kill them, then take them and fish with them, putting more into the worm-bag as you want them. Gum ivy flows from the ivy tree when injured by driving nails into it, wriggling them about and letting them remain for some time; about Michaelmas is the best time to procure it. Gum ivy is of a red colour, of a strong scent, and sharp pungent taste." When fish are disposed to feed, you need not use gum ivy; the attractions of a bright and clear scoured worm are quite sufficient without any such adjunct.

TROLLING WITH THE MINNOW.

The Teesdale Angler Part 4

If you are looking for The Teesdale Angler Part 4 you are coming to the right place. The Teesdale Angler is a Webnovel created by R. Lakeland. This lightnovel is currently completed.

_July._--Light Dottrel and scarlet silk,--Inside of Landrail's wing and yellow silk,--Blackbird and dark red silk,--Feather from neck of a Grouse and scarlet silk,--Plover's breast and bright yellow silk,--Sandpiper and purple silk.--Hooks No. 1 or 2.

_August._--Most of the July hackles for the first fortnight, to which add dark Snipe and green silk,--Snipe's breast feather and purple silk,--Dottrel and black silk,--Landrail and red silk.--Hooks No. 1 and 2.

_September._--Some of the August Flies with Landrail and yellow silk,--pale blue from Sea Swallow's wing and yellow or primrose coloured silk,--pale blue from Sea Swallow and crimson silk.

_October._--Same as March,--with inside of Snipe's wing and yellow silk,--Woodpigeon's feather and yellow silk,--Dottrel and pale yellow silk.--Hooks No. 1 or 2.

I deem _November_ like February, not worth a list.

A LIST OF FLIES THAT WILL, OR AT LEAST ARE LIKELY TO KILL, IN ALL TROUT STREAMS.

FLIES FOR MARCH.

1. Dark Blue,--one of the earliest. 2. Olive Blue,--March and April,--a good Fly in cold weather. 3. Red Clock,--April and March. 4. Little Brown,--March and April, the dark first, then the lighter,--good on warm days. 5. Blue Midge,--early in Spring and late in Autumn. 6. Great Brown, or March Brown,--March, April and first week in May. 7. Yellow Legged Blue,--from the latter end of March to the end of April, on cold days, particularly in April.

FLIES FOR APRIL.

1. Dark Blue,--yellow or Dun Midge from middle of April to middle of May. 2. Spider Legs,--end of April and May,--kills best in a wind. 3.

Land Fly,--end of April till towards the end of May 4. Green Tail or Grannam, from six in the morning till eleven again in the evening, when the Browns are off. 5. Ash Fly,--from April to the end of June,--a good killer on windy days.

FLIES FOR MAY.

1. Grey Midge,--the latter end of April and all Summer. 2. Yellow Sally Fly,--all May. 3. May Brown,--latter end of May till latter end of June. 4. Pale Blue,--from middle of May and all through June,--good in the evenings. 5. Yellow Fly,--the greatest parts of May and June,--kills best on cold windy days. 6. Little Stone Blue,--from the middle of May till the Autumn. 7. May or Stone Fly,--if the weather is genial, the last week in May, and continues through June.

FLIES FOR JUNE.

1. Hawthorn Fly,--all June. 2. Little Dark and Pale Blue,--the dark during the middle of the day, the light in the evening. 3. June Dun,--about the middle of June,--suits showery weather. 4. Twitch Bell,--continues till the middle of July,--best in the evening,--Stone fly.

FLIES FOR JULY.

1. Little Olive Blue,--the greater part of July and August 2. Black and Red Ant Flies,--in July, August and September. 3. Little Blue,--July and August,--best in the middle of the day.

FLIES FOR AUGUST.

1. August Brown,--comes on about the latter end of July, continuing through August and till the middle of September. 2. Light Blue,--August, September and October,--a capital Fly on cold days. 3.

Orange Stinger,--hot days in August. 4. Grey Grannam,--showery days in August and September.

FLIES FOR SEPTEMBER.

1. Light Olive Blue. 2. Small Willow Fly. 3. Large Willow Fly,--September and October.

FLIES FOR OCTOBER.

1. Blue Bottle and House Fly. 2. Small Olive Blue. 3. Dark Grey Midge.

HOW TO DRESS THE ABOVE.

FOR MARCH.

1. Dark Blue,--dark feather inside of Waterhen's wing; body,--dark red brown silk, black hackle for legs--tail two strands of the same. 2.

Olive Blue,--feather of Starling's wing, body light olive silk, and red hackle. 3. Red Clock,--wings and legs red; Peac.o.c.k's brown herl, and bright red silk for body. 4. Little Brown,--feather from inside of Woodc.o.c.k's wing, red copper coloured silk for body, and brown hackle for legs. 5. Blue Midge,--feather of Waterhen's neck,--lead coloured silk for body, grizzled hackle for legs. 6. Great Brown,--feather from the hen Pheasant's wing,--dark orange silk for body, brown red hackle for legs,--tail do. 7. Yellow Legged Blue,--feather from inside of Teal's wing, or lightest part of Starling's wing,--straw coloured silk for body, legs yellow hackle,--tail do.

FOR APRIL.

1. Dark Blue,--same as March. 2. Dun Midge,--lightest part of a Thrush's quill feather,--pale yellow silk, ribbed with light orange,--legs yellow hackle. 3. Spider Legs,--rusty coloured feather from Feldfare's back,--lead coloured silk for body, grizzled hackle for legs. 4. Sand Fly,--ruddy mottled feather of hen Pheasant's wing,--reddish fur from Hare's neck, ribbed with light brown silk,--ginger coloured hackle for legs. 5. Green Tail or Grannam,--wings inside of hen Pheasant's wing,--body lead coloured silk, with Peac.o.c.k's green herl for tail,--legs ginger hackle. 6. Inside of Woodc.o.c.k's wing,--body orange coloured silk neatly ribbed,--hackle from a grouse for legs.

FOR MAY.

1. Grey Midge,--feather from Woodc.o.c.k's breast,--body of pale yellow silk. 2. Yellow Sally,--pale yellow feather,--body yellow silk,--legs yellow hackle. 3. May Brown,--ruddy grey,--feather from Partridge's back,--olive coloured silk ribbed with light brown for body,--legs, hackles of an olive colour, tail do. 4. Pale Blue,--Sea Swallow for wings,--yellow pale silk for body, ribbed with sky blue,--pale yellow hackles for legs,--tail do.,--Little Stone Blue,--feather from Blackbird inside the wing, or Swift,--brown silk for body, brown hackle for legs. Stone Fly,--Mallard's feather from the back,--very large for wings,--two strands of yellow, and one of drab,--Ostrich herl neatly ribbed,--tie with brown silk.--horns and tail, black cat's whiskers.

FLIES FOR JUNE.

1. Little Dark Blue,--inside of Waterhen's wing,--lead coloured silk for body, legs yellowish dun hackle, tail Rabbit's whisker. 2. Pale Blue--light part of Starling's quill feather for wings, pale yellow silk for body, pale yellow dun hackle for legs and tail. 3. June Dun--a feather from Dottrel's back, hackled on a body of blue Rabbit's fur and drab silk, dun hackle for legs. 4. Twitchbell--inside of lightest part of Starling's quill feather for wings, brown hackle for legs, brown Peac.o.c.k's herl for body.

FLIES FOR JULY.

1. Little Olive Blue--Feather of Starling's wing dyed in onion peelings, lead coloured silk for body, ribbed with yellow, dun hackle for legs, stained like the wings, Rabbit's whiskers for tail. 2. Little Black Ant--feather of a Bluecap's tail for wings, black Ostrich herl dressed small in the middle for body, brown hackle for legs. 3. Red Ant--Lark's Quill feather for wings, c.o.c.k Pheasant's herl from tail for body, red hackle for legs. 4. Little Blue--Bullfinch's tail feather for wings, dark blue silk for body, dark blue hackle for legs, tail do.

FLIES FOR AUGUST.

1. August Brown--feather from hen Pheasant's wing,--fern coloured fur from Hare's neck, ribbed with pale yellow silk,--grizzled hackle for legs,--tail do. 2. Light Blue,--inside of Snipe's wing,--body light Drab silk,--tail and legs grizzled hackle. 3. Cinnamon Fly,--feather from Landrail,--orange and straw coloured silk for body,--ginger hackle for legs. 4. Light Blue,--inside of Snipe's wing,--light drab silk for body,--legs and tail grizzled hackle. 5. Dark Blue,--feather from Waterhen inside the wing,--reddish brown silk for body,--legs and tail brown hackle. 6. Orange Stinger,--taken from middle of August to the end of September--feather from Starling's quill,--the head brown--the tail orange silk,--for body and legs, furnace hackle. 7. Grey Grannam,--dark feather from night Hawk or brown Owl,--red Squirrel's fur and fawn coloured silk for body,--ginger hackle for legs.

FLIES FOR SEPTEMBER.

1. Light Olive Blue,--Dottrel's wing,--body pale white French silk,--legs and tail pale blue hackle. 2. Dark Olive Blue,--wings inside of Waterhen's wing,--body lead coloured silk,--black hackle for legs,--tail Hare's whiskers. 3. Small Willow Fly,--wings inside of Woodc.o.c.k's wing feather,--body mole's fur and yellow silk,--brown hackle for legs.

The Teesdale Angler Part 3

If you are looking for The Teesdale Angler Part 3 you are coming to the right place. The Teesdale Angler is a Webnovel created by R. Lakeland. This lightnovel is currently completed.

[6] This fly kills well when the water is low and fine.

_July._--1. Orange Fly--dubbed with brown fur of a badger, warped with red silk, wings from dark grey feather of mallard, with a head made of red silk. 2. The Wasp Fly--dubbed with brown bear or cow's hair, ribbed with yellow silk, and the wings of the inside of starling's wing. 3.

The Black Palmer--dubbed with black copper coloured peac.o.c.k's harl, and a black c.o.c.k's hackle over that, wings, blackbird. 4. The July Dun--dubbed with the down of a watermouse, mixed with bluish seal's fur, or with the fur of a mole, mixed with a little marten's fur, warped with ash coloured silk, wood-pigeon's wing feather for wings.--A good killer.

_August._--The Late Ant Fly--dubbed with the blackish brown hair of a cow, warp some red silk in for the tag of the tail, the wings from a woodc.o.c.k. 2. The Fern Fly--dubbed with the fur from a hare's neck, which is of a fern colour, wings dark grey feather of mallard. 3. The White Palmer--dubbed with white peac.o.c.k's harl, and a black hackle over it. 4. The Pale Blue--dubbed with very light blue fur, mixed with a little yellow marten's fur, and a blue hackle over the whole, the wings from a blue pigeon.--A very killing fly. 5. The Harry Longlegs--dubbed with darkish brown hair, and a brown hackle over it, head rather large.

_September._--The Peac.o.c.k Harl--dubbed with ruddy peac.o.c.k's harl, warped with green silk, and a red c.o.c.k's hackle over that. 2. The Camel Brown--dubbed with old brownish hair, with red silk, wings dark grey feather from mallard. 3. The Late Badger--dubbed with black fur of a badger or spaniel, mixed with the soft yellow down of a sandy coloured pig, wings dark mallard. 4. The September Dun--dubbed with the down of a mouse, warped with ash coloured silk, wings feather of a starling.

_October._--Same as March.

As I never fished for Trout in November, I attempt no list of Flies for that month. From Michaelmas to the middle of February, all anglers should refrain from killing Trout.

_Moths Brown and White for Evening Fishing._--The Brown--from the feathers of a brown Owl, dubbed with light mohair, dark grey c.o.c.k's hackle for legs, and red head. White Moth--strands from an Ostrich, wings from a white Pigeon, a white hackle for legs, and a black head.--Hooks No. 2 or 3. Good killers at dusk on a Summer's evening.

LIST OF HACKLE FLIES FROM FEBRUARY TO NOVEMBER.

_February._--Small black flies, made from Starling's breast or Black bird, with black or purple silk--hook No. 1. Inside and out of Woodc.o.c.k's wing and yellow silk. Plover's breast or Dottrel's wing feather and yellow silk--hooks No. 1 or 2; red c.o.c.k's hackle and yellow silk.

_March._--Inside of Woodc.o.c.k's wing and yellow silk, No. 2 hook. Dark Woodc.o.c.k, and dark orange silk, No. 2 hook. Dottrel and yellow silk, No. 2 hook. Dark Snipe and crimson silk, No. 2 hook. Dark Snipe and purple silk, No. 1 hook.

_April._--Woodc.o.c.k's as for March. Inside of Woodc.o.c.k's wing and yellow silk, No. 2 hook. Freckled Snipe and yellow silk. No. 2 hook. Dark Snipe and crimson silk, No. 2 hook. Dottrel and yellow silk,--inside of Snipe's wing, and pale yellow silk,--hooks No. 2.

_May._--All the above April flies are taken, also, Partridge's breast and yellow or crimson silk, very light Dottrel's or plover's breast and fawn coloured silk, Blackbird and purple silk, Blackbird and dark crimson silk, sea Swallow and primrose silk, inside of Woodc.o.c.k's wing and crimson silk--hooks, 1 or 2 according to water.[7]

[7] When there is much water some of the Spring and Autumn Hackle flies may be dressed on No. 3 Hooks.

_June._--Most of the above, to which add Dottrel and orange silk, Plover and light orange silk, dark Snipe and orange silk, Freckled Snipe and orange silk, freckled Snipe and crimson silk. Hooks No. 1 or two according to size of water. Dottrel's breast and yellow silk,--Hooks No. 1.

_July._--Many of the above, with Sandpiper and yellow or purple silk, Plover's breast and crimson silk Wren's tail and orange silk, Dottrel and bright scarlet silk; Plover's back feather with gold twist and orange silk, Landrail and bright red silk, dark Snipe and sky coloured blue silk.--Hooks No. 1 or 2 at discretion. If the water is very clear, use hooks as small as possible.

_August._--Some of the July flies for the first fortnight, with dark Snipe and green, Snipe's breast and purple silk, Dottrel and black silk, Landrail and red silk, dark Snipe or Starling's breast and red silk, Grouse hackle and bright scarlet silk.--Hooks 1 and 2 according to water.

_September._--Some of the August Flies, with Landrail and yellow silk, pale blue from sea Swallow and primrose silk, pale blue from ditto and crimson silk,--Hooks 1 and 2.

_October._--Inside of Snipe's wing feather and yellow silk, Woodpigeon's feather and pale yellow silk, dark outside feather of Snipe's wing and crimson or orange silk, outside feather of Dottrel's wing and yellow silk--hooks No. 1 or 2.

_November._--Same Flies as February.

The Blue, Black and Dun Gnats are at times on the water from May to August, and when the fish are taking them they generally refuse the larger flies.

The Blue Gnat may be made thus: A blue feather from a t.i.tmouse's tail for wings, body from pale blue floss silk, on a cypher hook, which means the smallest hook made; or the wings may be had from Heron's plumes, with same or primrose silk.

Black Gnat--Starling's breast and black silk, cypher hook; or black Ostrich strand and inside wing feather of Starling for wings.

Dun Gnat--from inside wing feather of a Landrail and fawn coloured silk--cypher hook.

Observe, that you may put more feather on your hackle flies in the Spring than in the Summer; when the water is low and clear, a very small quant.i.ty of hackle is sufficient, and it should by no means descend much, if any, below the bend of the hook.

In low waters, except when the blue, dun and brown drakes are on, the hackle flies will generally be found to kill better than the winged flies.

REMARKS ON THE MARCH BROWN OR DUN DRAKE.

The March Brown is well known to all anglers as a fly to which they are chiefly indebted for the greatest portion of their sport in the Spring, commencing as its name indicates in March, and continuing the whole of April and into May. They appear on the water each succeeding day about eleven in the forenoon, and retire about half-past two p.m. Few rivers or brooks produce March Browns that are exactly alike;--I mean with regard to the same shade of colour, even in the same river there are frequently darker and lighter flies. For the lighter one I recommend the hen pheasant's or brown owl's wing feather, dubbed with hare's ear and yellow silk; for the dark, the tail feather of a partridge, a brown red hackle underneath the wings, and dark orange silk, or a woodc.o.c.k's feather for wings, and a dark red hackle with dark orange silk,--kills exceedingly well. When the water is low and fine, I consider your chance of killing fish far greater with two, than three of the large spring flies. If you put the brown, and blue dun on your stretcher, three quarters of a yard apart, you will find your cast will be much lighter with the two than three; this plan also holds good in reference to hackle flies, provided that you know what the fish are taking.

SELECT LIST OF VERY KILLING FLIES, BOTH PALMERS AND HACKLES.

If these flies do not answer, it is very rare that you will succeed with any other. They are suitable for all the rivers and brooks of Yorkshire, Durham, Westmoreland and c.u.mberland; about thirty years experience has convinced me of their entire excellence, and probably the ingenuity of man cannot devise any to supersede them.

Palmers for March, April, and first week in May,--The March Brown or Dun Drake,--The Blue Dun,--Early Bright Brown.

_May._--The Dun Cut,--The Cow Dung Fly, and also the March Brown and Blue Dun are on the waters in late seasons to the middle of the month.

_June._--Little Black Gnat,--The Brown Palmer,--Little Red Spinner--and Alder Fly.

_July._--The Wasp Fly,--Black Palmer,--July Dun.

_August._--The Late Ant Fly,--The Pale Blue.

_September._--The September Dun,--The Camel Brown and Willow Fly.

_October._--Blue Dun, Pale Blue, and Dun Drake.

NOTE.--If there are no Flies on the water when you begin to angle, try a Palmer till you find what Flies the fish are taking. One Palmer and two small hackle Flies on your stretcher give a tolerable good chance.

LIST OF HACKLES AND SILKS TO SUIT.

(GOOD KILLERS.)

_For March and April._--Dark Snipe and crimson silk,--Dark Snipe and Purple silk.--Hooks No. 1 and 2.--Outside feather of Woodc.o.c.k's wing and dark orange silk.--Inside feather of Woodc.o.c.k's wing and yellow silk.--Dottrel's back or neck feather and yellow silk.--Hooks No. 2 or 3.

_May._--Inside and outside feathers of Woodc.o.c.k's wing, with orange and yellow silk,--Starling or Blackbird's breast and black silk,--Freckled Snipe and yellow silk,--Dark Snipe and crimson silk.--Hooks No. 1 and 2.

_June._--Blackbird and orange silk,--Plover and orange silk.--Dottrel's breast and yellow silk,--Freckled Snipe and crimson silk,--Partridge's breast and crimson or yellow silk,--Dark Snipe and yellow silk,--Freckled Snipe and orange silk,--Sandpiper and purple or yellow silk.--Hooks No. 1 or 2.

The Teesdale Angler Part 2

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LIST OF PALMER FLIES FROM MARCH TO OCTOBER.

The following list of flies will take fish in all Trouting streams of Yorkshire, Durham, Northumberland, c.u.mberland and Westmoreland.

MARCH.

Dark Brown.

Great Whirling Dun.

Early Bright Brown.

Blue Dun.

Little Black Gnat.

APRIL.

Dark Brown.

Violet Fly.

Little Whirling Dun.

Small Bright Brown.

MAY.

Dun Cut.

Stone Fly.

Camlet Fly.

Cow Dung Fly.

JUNE.

Stone Fly.

Ant Fly.

Little Black Gnat.

Brown Palmer.

Small Red Spinner.

JULY.

Orange Fly.

Wasp Fly.

Black Palmer.

July Dun.

AUGUST.

Late Ant Fly.

Fern Fly.

White Palmer.

Pale Blue.

Harry Long Legs.

SEPTEMBER.

Peac.o.c.k Harl.

Camel Brown.

Late Badger.

September Dun.

OCTOBER.

Same Flies as in March.

It is best to make your Flies in a warm room, or in warm weather out of doors,--your silk will then wax kindly, which is of great consequence in making Flies.

The three best winged Flies for Spring, are the Red Fly, Blue, Dun and Brown.

The three princ.i.p.al Flies for AUTUMN are the little Whirling Blue, Pale Blue, and Willow Fly.

FEBRUARY.--Red Fly.

MARCH.--Red Fly, Dun Fly and Brown Drake.

APRIL.--The same as March with the addition of the Grannam or Green Tail, and the Spider Fly.

MAY.--The Black Caterpillar, the Little Iron Blue, the Yellow Sally Fly, the Oak Fly and the Orl Fly.

JUNE.--Sky Coloured Blue, the Cadiss Fly, the Blue Gnat, Large Red Ant Fly, Black Ant Fly, Little Whirling Blue, Pale Blue.

JULY.--Some of the same Flies as June, with the addition of the Wasp Fly, Black Palmer, July Dun, and Orange Fly.

AUGUST.--Small Red and Black Ant Flies, Willow Flies.

SEPTEMBER.--Pale Blues, and Whirling Blue.

OCTOBER.--Same as March, with the addition of the Dark and Pale Blues.

_March._--1. The Dark Brown--dubbed with the brown hair of a cow, and the grey feather of a Mallard for wings. 2. The Great Whirling Dun--dubbed with squirrels fur, for wings, grey feather of mallard. 3.

Early Bright Brown--dubbed with brown hair from behind the ears of a spaniel dog, wings from a mallard. 4. The Blue Dun--dubbed with down from a black greyhound's neck, mixed with violet coloured blue worsted, wings pale part of a starling's wing. 5. The Black Gnat--dubbed with black mohair, the wings of the lightest part of a starling.

_April._--1. The Dark Brown,--brown spaniel's hair mixed with a little violet camlet, warp with yellow silk, wings, grey feather from mallard.

2. The Violet Fly--dubbed with dark violet stuff, and a little dun bear's hair mixed with it, wings from a mallard. 3. The Little Whirling Dun--dubbed with fox cubs fur, ash coloured, ribbed about with yellow silk, wings a pale grey feather from a mallard. 4. Small Bright Brown--dubbed with camel's hair, and marten's yellow fur mixed, wings pale feather of a starling.

_May._--The Dun Cut--dubbed with brown hair, a little blue and yellow mixed with it, wings, woodc.o.c.k, and two horns at the head from a squirrel's tail. 2. The Stone Fly--dubbed with dun bear's hair, mixed with a little brown and yellow camlet, so placed that the fly may be yellower on the belly and towards the tail than any where else, place two hairs from a black cat's beard, in such a way that they may stand upright, rib the body with yellow silk, and make the wings very large from the dark grey feathers of a mallard. 3. The Camlet Fly--dubbed with dark brown shining camlet, ribbed over with green silk, wings, grey feather of a mallard. 4. Cow Dung Fly--dubbed with light brown and yellow camlet mixed, or dirty lemon coloured mohair with the hackle of a landrail.[5]

[5] A good Fly on cold windy days.

_June._--1. The Ant Fly--dubbed with brown and red camlet mixed, wings, starling's feather, pale. 2. Little Black Gnat--dubbed with black strands from an ostrich, wings, light feather from underneath starling's wing. 3. Brown Palmer--dubbed with light brown seal's hair, warped with ash coloured silk and a red hackle over the whole. 4. The Small Red Spinner--dubbed with yellow hair from behind the ear of a spaniel, ribbed with gold twist, a red hackle over the whole, the wings from a starling.[6]

The Teesdale Angler Part 1

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The Teesdale Angler.

by R Lakeland.

PREFACE.

I find it requisite to say something by way of preface to the Teesdale Angler, chiefly, because I wish it to be understood that my work, though bearing a local t.i.tle, is intended as a help and guide to Trout fishers generally, especially those of Yorkshire, Durham, Westmoreland, and c.u.mberland.

To the extent of my ability, I have endeavoured to point out, and explain the various methods, means, and devices, natural and artificial, for taking Trout. The Artificial Fly List will I trust be found amply sufficient for most Anglers. I have only to add, that my treatise is the result of a considerable amount of practical Angling experience, extending over a period of upwards of 35 years, and the chief object I have in view will be accomplished, if the hints and instruction contained in it, tend to aid the diversion, and promote the amus.e.m.e.nt of those who wish to be proficient in the art of a pleasing and fascinating recreation.

R. LAKELAND.

THE TEESDALE ANGLER.

_Pisces Fluviales_--RIVER FISH.

_Salmo_--The SALMON.

_Trutta_--The TROUT.

_Thymallus_--The GRAYLING.

_Capito Seu Cephalus_--The CHUB.

_Salmonidae_--SMELTS.

_Anguilla_--The EEL.

_Various seu Phocinus_--The MINNOW.

_Cobitus Fluviatilis Barbatula_--The LOACH.[1]

[1] This fish has only been observed in the Tees during the last few years.

I deem a very brief notice of the above varieties of fish sufficient,--they have been described over and over again by much abler pens than mine, and I advise all those who are desirous of minute details, as to their conformation and habits, to have recourse to one of the published Histories of British Fishes,[2] indeed all the above fish and their varieties have been faithfully and naturally described in (I take it for granted) every angling book that has yet been published. As to Salmon, I need allude no further than observe (as every one knows that they are both ocean and river fish) that they afford, when plentiful, excellent sport to the angler, taking freely the Minnow, Worm and Fly, that they generally select the deepest pools of a river for their chief residence, but yet may be taken anywhere with the fly where there is three feet of water. They generally rise best about eleven o'clock in the forenoon, and three in the afternoon of a day. When there is a little wind stirring, if accompanied by rattling showers of hail or snow in the Spring, or heavy showers of rain in Summer, so much the more likely for sport.

[2] Very many clever men have written diffusely on Ichthyology.

Aristotle was one of the first who divided fishes into different orders, he divided them into three, but Linnaeus separated them into five.

Salmon fishing in every respect is similar in the _modus operandi_, to that of Trout,--requiring not more, if so much skill, but more nerve and patience with, of course, much stronger rod and tackle, and larger flies, and if you try worms, two large lob worms well scoured, should be put on the same hook,--you also require a Gaff for large fish. The best Salmon Flies for the Tees (which is by no means a good Angling river for Salmon) are the Dragon and King's Fisher, to be bought at most tackle shops, and a fly deemed a great killer made with a bright scarlet body, and wings from the black feather of a turkey.

THE TROUT.

The Trout almost every one knows, that the Trout is a delicious fish, beautiful and elegant in form and appearance. Trouts vary, being yellow, red, grey and white, the latter like Salmon, go into salt water. Trout sp.a.w.n in the winter months, after which they become sickly and infested with a species of what may be denominated fresh water lice. In winter he keeps to the deep water; in spring and summer he delights in rapid streams, where, keeping his head up the water, he waits for his expected prey. There is no other fish that affords such good and universal sport, or that exercises the skill and ingenuity of the angler so much. The different modes by which to effect his capture are fully described under the different heads of fly trolling and bottom fishing. This fish (but seldom taken any great weight) abounds in the Tees and its tributary streams.

THE GRAYLING.

The Grayling is a beautifully formed fish, and affords the angler good sport--he is a much better-flavoured fish than the Chub, though not comparable to Trout. He delights in rapid streams, and during the Summer months is rarely found in deep water. The Grayling will take the same flies and bait as Trout--a little black fly is an especial favourite with him, but he will spring a long way out of water to catch a fly of any description which may be sporting above him. The Grayling sp.a.w.ns at the end of April and beginning of May.

CHUB, OR CHEVIN.

The Chub is a very timorous fish, utterly worthless as food except during the winter months. He frequents deep water, and loves shady places, where he can shelter under the roots of trees, &c. The Chub sp.a.w.ns in May and June. He is a leather-mouthed fish, so that once hooked you are sure of him; he struggles fiercely for a moment, then yields without further effort, and allows himself to be dragged unresistingly to land. He will take the same flies as the Trout, also all kinds of gentles, maggots and worms, especially small red worms; is fond of the humble Bee, Salmon Roe, and Creeper; will take a variety of pastes, as old white bread moistened with a little linseed oil and made into small b.a.l.l.s; old Cheshire cheese mixed with a little tumeric, and bullock or sheep's brains, also bullock's blood mixed with wheaten flour, and worked up to a proper consistency, are all good baits for Chub in the winter months. A c.o.c.kchafer with his wings cut off is also a very good bait for large Chub. When rivers are frozen, you may catch Chub by breaking a hole in the ice, the fish will come to the aperture for air, and, perceiving the bait, take it--your line need not extend to the depth of more than a yard. Observe that your paste b.a.l.l.s are of consistency sufficient to adhere firmly to your hook, which should not be larger than a small May-fly hook, or two No. 3 fly hooks tied firmly together are much better.

SALMON SMELTS.

The growth of Salmon, as is well known, is so surprisingly quick, that Smelts from Ova deposited by Salmon during the Autumn and Winter months, will in some instances, by the first week in May, be found to weigh after the rate of five or six to the pound. They rise very freely at the fly, and afford the angler (who is fond of small fry), lots of sport, they are partial to streams, and also to a gaudy fly. Smelts will rise at almost any moderate sized fly, but the three most killing, are a small black fly, with scarlet or crimson silk body, black fly, ribbed with gold, or silver twist, golden plover's speckled feather from the back, and gold twist. They are also rather fond of a fly made from a partridge's breast feather, and body of crimson floss silk. The flies must be fastened upon small hooks not larger than No. 1. Few Smelts are to be seen after the second week in May. There is an old saying,

"That the first flood in May, Takes all the Smelts away."

Salmon Trout, or Herling as they are called in Scotland, are a beautiful and elegantly formed fish, and rise very freely at common Trout Flies, these fish go into salt water.

THE PINK, OR BRANDLING.

The Pink is plentiful in the Tees and many of its tributaries, it is altogether a handsomer fish than the Trout, to which however in some respects it bears a strong resemblance. It is seldom taken above a quarter of a pound in weight. Is very vigorous and strong for its size, delights in rapid streams, takes the same baits and flies as the Trout, but when the water is low and the weather hot, is exceedingly fond of the maggot, or brandling worm. The Cad bait, with a little hackle round the top of the shank of the hook, kills well. The hackle should be Landrail, or a Mallard's feather dyed yellow, the latter for choice.

THE EEL

May be termed amphibious, for about the time oats run, he has been met with at considerable distances from water, and has even been detected in pea fields, gorged with the usual accessories to duck, to which in some respects he is so far a.n.a.logous--that though a foul feeder he is excellent as an edible. He inhabits mud and sand banks, and also conceals himself under tree roots, stones and rocks. You may angle for him with Salmon Roe, a lob-worm or Minnow after a flood and before the water has subsided, but he is usually taken by night-lines, baited with lob-worms or Minnows. As I have before intimated, he is not nice, and will not refuse any kind of garbage. If you angle for him your tackle should be strong and leaded, so as to keep your line at bottom.

THE MINNOW.

The Minnow is in deep water during winter, and the shallowest of streams in summer; he is taken with a small red worm, or with young Cad bait. The Minnow bites freely in fine weather, and you may take almost as many as you please by angling for them. When the water is clear, they may be taken by means of a large transparent gla.s.s bottle, wide at the top of the neck but gradually narrowing, in fact a complete decoy; inside the bottle are red worms, and the bottle, to which is attached a string, thrown round the neck, is cast into the water; in a little time a shoal of Minnows surround the bottle, enter, and feast. When the bottle is tolerably full, a pull at the string brings bottle and Minnows to land.

THE LOACH

Is found underneath stones at the bottom of rivers and brooks, and also amongst gravel; it is a good bait for Trout and Eels. The Loach will bite freely at small red worms. The hook same as for Minnows.

THE BULL-HEAD

Though an ugly looking fish is good to eat; you may catch him with any small worms and small hook, he is found amongst stones and gravel.

ADVICE TO BEGINNERS.

Angling is such a popular recreation that professors of the gentle craft are to be found amongst all cla.s.ses and conditions of the _Genus h.o.m.o_. The disciples of glorious old Izaack--is not their name Legion?

In early youth, fascinated with the capture of the tiny Minnow or glittering Gudgeon, the youthful Tyro is known in after years as the expert Salmon and Trout fisher. To become a really expert angler, requires a good deal of energy, perseverance, and activity, accompanied by a suitable amount of patience and ingenuity. In the fourth chapter of Waverly are the following observations, "that of all diversions which ingenuity ever devised for the relief of idleness, fishing is the worst qualified to amuse a man, who is at once indolent and impatient, such men's Rods are quickly discarded." My advice to those who are desirous of enjoying "the contemplative man's recreation," is that they undergo a probationary course, under the guidance of a competent professor. Three or four days of diligent observation employed in watching the manual operations of an instructor, would go far towards giving them a pretty good idea of how to set about catching a Trout with either fly or bait; indeed much more so than any written or oral instruction could convey. In fact if they are attentive spectators, they may soon acquire a fund of useful practical information, with which they may commence angling with a fair chance of success. Theory may be very good, but practice is much better, and will only make the complete angler. Good Rods, superb Flies, and the best of all kinds of tackle are of little use, if any, in the hands of a person who has not previously acquired some notion as to the proper application of them.

Doubtless many a sanguine aspirant to piscatory fame, has, after an expensive outlay at a tackle shop, been grieviously disappointed when trying his luck in a celebrated Trout stream,--he discovers to his intense disgust and mortification, that the fish will "not come and be killed." Probably, and indeed most likely, he throws down his rod, votes fishing a bore,

"Chews the cud of bitter disappointment o'er, Has fished his first and last, and so will fish no more."

The Book of the Duke of True Lovers Part 7

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In such wise did the Lady of La Tour, who made me very sad by the letter the which she wrote, make answer to my Lady, who was sore dismayed by it albeit she was not displeased with her on account of it, but said forthwith, "Ah! if it had pleased our lord that she had been alway with me, she would have exhorted me wisely, and thus I should not have been beguiled by evil counsel, but ne'ertheless I shall abandon this, and abide me by her counsel, for I well perceive the grievous peril which pertains to a life of love, but it is meet that he who is oft in my thoughts should abandon it likewise." Then she wrote a letter to me, even as is here set forth.

_Sealed Letter_

_My good Friend_,-It is indeed true that foolish love, the which deceives many, and the sincere pity which I had for your plaint, have led me much to forget that which I ought ever to have had in remembrance, the which is, to preserve my soul and mine honour. And I have fully come to see how that I have already exposed myself to many great dangers and perils in order to fulfil your youthful wishes and mine own. Thank G.o.d, however, that there has been no evil in it, nor ever will be as long as I live! Yet the world would in nowise believe this if any ill chance befell me, from the which may G.o.d preserve me! And I well perceive that whosoe'er pursues foolish love, is in nowise master of himself or of his demeanour, so that it comes to pa.s.s that he may be discovered, as you can see by the long letter which the good and prudent woman, the Lady of La Tour, has written to me, the which I send you in order that you may perceive the reason which constrains me to withdraw from it.

For, when I gave myself up to this love, I took no thought for the perils into the which I rushed, but this wise lady has opened mine eyes to examine and consider my doings, and if I do this not, I shall be defamed and ruined, and this, dear friend, you could in nowise desire. And because of this, I beseech you to withdraw from it, and know that I ask this of you in spite of my love, and with my eyes full of tears, for none could be more loved than I love you. Therefore in nowise believe that this comes to pa.s.s through want of love, for I swear to you on my portion in Paradise, and make promise to you by every oath that can be made, that, as long as I live, you shall be my only friend, and you alone will I love alway, if this will content you, neither do I withdraw my love from you, for you have in nowise deserved this, nor could my heart, which loves you, consent to it, but it at least behoves you to cease from seeing me, because of the harm which might come to me through it, the which, I well know, will be very grievous to you, and full of sorrow, but whiles that your heart may be sad about it, in nowise will mine be happy. And I know not what more to say to you, nor can I write more, for my desolate heart, my eyes, and my face are suffused with tears, and I bid you farewell, my sweet Love.

Your sorrowing Lady.

And when that I had read this sad letter, my pulse and my colour failed me, and I became like unto one dead, and it was long ere I came to myself again, for I swooned because of the grief which I felt to hear that it was needful for me to keep away from my lady. Never had such a sorrow chanced to me, and so sorely did I weep because of this, that my heart was well nigh broken. And I read the long letter the which had set this thing agoing, and G.o.d knows how, when I read it, I cursed the old lady who had sent it. I would have drowned her but that this was not possible. And when I had longwhiles borne this grievous sorrow without that it was diminished, I wrote this letter, moistening it with my tears.

_To the most n.o.ble of ladies_.

Alas, my sweet and honoured Lady, my peerless love whom I serve, fear, obey, and worship! Where can I find words sufficing to declare unto you, and to make you wholly to know, my grievous sorrow? Tears and weeping so dull my mind and my memory, that I know not where I am, or what I do. Ah, my Lady! you have indeed discomforted me by your cruel letter, the which tells me that it behoves me to keep away from you! Certes it is indeed true, whatsoe'er the Lady of La Tour says of Lovers, that I am more to you than aught that you have in the world beside, and that I have made promise unto you (the which I will keep truly all my life), that, as far as in me lies, I will obey you in all things, without doing aught that is contrary to your wishes. But when your wish is that I withdraw me from this, I cannot obey, for I have abandoned my life to it. Thus it is not in my power to give it up, even if I die for this. And, dear Lady, as to obeying your command that I see you no more, if it is your pleasure that it be alway thus, it is meet that I resist this with all my might, since if you bid me do that which would kill me or drive me mad, I know of a truth that in this I cannot obey. And so that you may perceive that I desire your honour more than does she who has written so much to you concerning it, and to prevent any suspicion that you are the cause of my death, I shall go beyond the seas to end my days, and nevermore shall I return from thence, and I pledge you my faith that you will find this to be so. Alas! where has this one, in order to compa.s.s my ruin, discovered that already there is rumour and talk of our love? Truly she must have imagined it. Saving her reverence, it is not possible, for naught was ever conducted more prudently or secretly than, up to this present, our sweet love has been, and alway will be if G.o.d wills. For G.o.d knows that I would rather suffer death than do aught that would cause you dishonour. Ah, my Lady, my Lady! Shall I never see you again? If this must be so, G.o.d grant that I may lose my sight, and that I may never again look on anything, for naught beside could delight me. How could my heart dure and remain alive when it no longer has the joy the which it receives when it is nigh unto yours? Ah, woe is me! This thought, alas, is a lance which pierces right through my sorrowful heart. It cannot be that I must thus lose, and without cause, the tender comfort, the amorous delights, the pleasing glances, and the winsome words, the which I receive from you, and of which the sweet remembrance, which remained in my thoughts with the hope of their renewal, made me more gladsome and contented than aught beside. And, my very sweet Lady, since I must needs die without deserving it, one favour only do I beg of you, for the sake of all the love your tender and n.o.ble heart erewhiles had for me, and do not be so cruel to your poor servant as to deny it to him, the which is that, ere I take leave of you for ever, I may for once have speech with you, so that I may bid you farewell, and say adieu to all the delights the which you have so lovingly bestowed on me, for never, on my soul, have I thought on that which is evil, or contrary to your desires. Alas, my Lady! Well do I know how you do wrong to those desires, and unjustly cause them to endure misfortune, for boldly do I declare that this farewell is in nowise in accordance with their a.s.sent or wish. May this favour be vouchsafed to me, dear Lady. And I know not what more to say to you, but be a.s.sured that I shall obey you unto death. May it please you to make known to me forthwith what you would have me to do, and whether you would that I go beyond the seas as I have said, or what is your pleasure. And be pleased to pardon me that this letter is blotted with my tears, for, on my soul, it has not been possible for me to restrain them whiles that I have been writing it. Honoured Lady, I commend me to you more than I know how to say, and I pray G.o.d to grant you all good things that are to be desired.-Written in great grief, with tears and weeping.

Your poor lover, the most unhappy of men.

And I sent this letter to my lady, and wept sorely whilst delivering it.

And I remained cast down, sad, and silent, making plaint unto myself.

And I said in my grief-

BALLAD

Ah, Death, Death, Death, to thee I make my prayer!

Come, rend me from this dolorous world apart!

Life lures no longer: since my lady fair Would have me shun her, let my hapless heart Be very prey to pain and sorrow's sword.

Gladness I leave and all delight for aye, And thee alone, O Death, have I implored Because my lady hath bidden me good-bye.

Alas, alas, what doleful news is there!

Never to knight a.s.sailed with glaive or dart Came heavier trouble than the woes I share, I, who have gathered up in shame and smart An evil greater than I may record: Since now my love from all adventure high Must needs withdraw, and death be my reward Because my lady hath bidden me good-bye.

Ah, lady of mine, can'st thou such hardness dare And suffer me in anguish to depart For love of thee? Yet Love must witness bear Who knoweth no age can show, nor any art, Servant more faithful both in deed and word Among all lovers that he might espy: But my mishaps a worser end afford Because my lady hath bidden me good-bye.

Ah, G.o.d of love, why sufferest thou, fair lord, That thus in sorrow undeserved I die?

All things I leave, of all to be abhorred, Because my lady hath bidden me good-bye.

In such manner as I have told you did I write in answer to my Lady. And when that she had opened my letter, and saw it so covered and defaced and blurred with tears, certes it was told unto me that she was much discomforted, and that as she read it, she wept so much, that the tears ran down her face. And then, of her grace, she wrote back to me in great haste, and charged the messenger that he lose no time in conveying the letter duly. And he pledged him not to tarry by the way until he had brought it to me. And the messenger hasted him all the night, and stayed him not until that he was come at daybreak to the gate of the Castle.

Then he brought me the letter, the which calmed my grievous distress, and banished my sorrow. And great need had I of this, for certes I was like to die or to lose my reason. So listen now to the purport of the letter which she sent, and of the which my heart had great joy.

_To the n.o.blest and best of all_, _My true and loyal friend_.

_My true, loyal, very kind and dear Friend_,-It is the fact that, although I was fearful of losing mine honour, the which I ought to dread above all things, as is counselled, as you have been able to see, in the letter of the Lady of La Tour, to whom I am much beholden for it (for certes I know that she has said this for my well-being), it was against my wish that I wrote to you, in my last letter, that which I made known to you therein, for, my kind and gracious friend, I well perceive that Love cannot suffer us to part from one another, and I repent me much that I declared this unto you, for I know that you have had, and still have, much sorrow because of this. Wherefore I pray you to forgive me, and I beseech your pardon for it. And it much grieves me that our good friend, your cousin, is not beside you to cheer you. And I regret me that he is gone on so long a journey. So by all the influence I may have over you, and by the love you bear me, I entreat you in all things to possess your mind in peace as aforetime, for greatly do I fear me that you have become so sad, that I may not be in time to comfort you, and that some sickness (from the which may G.o.d preserve you), may overtake you. Therefore I shall have no ease until I have news of you. So I write to you in great haste, beseeching you to be cheerful and happy, for I have very good news to tell you, and this is that our good friend, in whom we trust, will be here within four days. So you shall come to see me, and I will keep you advised concerning this, and we will welcome one another heartily as heretofore. For, so help me G.o.d, even if it be my ruin, I cannot part from you, and I have hope that, by G.o.d's aid, our doings may be well hid, and also that you will alway guard mine honour well, for on this I rely. My sweet and dear Love, I pray G.o.d to give you perfect joy. Written in haste.

Your true and loyal friend.

And when I received this letter, I was wholly freed from my grief, and no longer did I weep, but instead I praised G.o.d for this very good news.

And I answered the letter, and gave much thanks to my sweet lady, and I further besought of her that I might see her right soon, so that I might tell unto her the sorrow the which the letter I had received had caused me. And I know not wherefore I should rehea.r.s.e more of this matter, for it is time for me to end. You have heard how that I had, without dishonour, such joy of love as I desired, and I gainsay him who would avouch that there was ever any wrong-doing or evil whatsoever in our love, or that there was aught in it by the which honour was violated, wherefore our love should be the more esteemed. Moreover I have told unto you the pain and the grief which I endured aforetime, and how that I persevered until my lady had pity on me. And now it is time this story were ended, for if I rehea.r.s.ed all the adventures, some pleasing, and others painful, the which chanced to me in this love, and the evil and the good which came to me of it, perchance I should become wearisome, for I should have much to tell, and it would be a matter without end.

But, to sum up briefly, I tell you that I ofttimes afterward with great delight saw the fair one in whom I put my trust, and joyously did I receive from her, in large measure, loving comfort the which still dwells in my memory. And for full two years did this dure, for she would not let me depart from out her country, and right well did this please me, for so ardent was I, that I cared for naught save to be near her.

Thus I bethink me that I resorted thither more than was fitting, so that anger, stirred up by evil speaking, burst forth on account of our doings, and because of this, I was troubled and ill-at-ease, for I could not stay it, and thus I was no longer able to see my lady as was my wont, the which grieved me sorely. Moreover I was blamed by friends, and called recreant, in that I remained so much in retirement, and only frequented jousts and tourneys and feasts which were held near by, and not those at a distance. This, indeed, did not become one of n.o.ble birth, and thus I should be quite the most despicable of my lineage if that I remained there longer, and pursued not arms in many lands for to win praise and renown. So spake my kinsfolk, and I felt a.s.sured that they descanted to me thus for my good, but I feared me that it might be displeasing to my lady to do this without her consent, and my heart was exceeding sad.

And I besought of her that she would so contrive, that I might have speech with her, since, chiefly for the sake of her good name, it was needful that I should depart thence for awhile, and a.s.suredly might she believe that never for a single day should I forget her, and thus I would go into Spain, whatever might come of it, and it was better to do this before worse happened to her. And moreover she should have in remembrance that I had made promise unto her that, for love of her, I would achieve so much, that in the end I should be known as a brave man.

And so much did I talk, that she scarce uttered a word, and for very short whiles did she remain, for at great risk was she come to a place where I was.

And there was much weeping and great dole and sad countenance at our parting, and scarce would she consent that I should go to the wars. And wetting her face and neck with tears, and kissing her in haste, I very fervently commended her to G.o.d, and thus I commended me to her a thousand times, and submitted myself to her will. And I made promise unto her that wheresoe'er I went, I would send tidings unto her, and thus she could send back word to me how it fared with her.

And thus I departed, weeping and in sad case at leaving my beloved one.

And I joined a Spanish force, and was absent, and far from the fair one, for the s.p.a.ce of a year, and then I came back, being moved thereto by a longing to see her. And when she heard of my return, she so contrived, that I had speech with her without this being known of others. And joyously was I received, and verily did we welcome one another heartily, and rejoice over our reunion.

Thus from time to time I went to meet her, but there was risk in my having speech with her, and so she came stealthily, in fear and trembling, for fear of being observed, by reason of which she was quite cast down. Therefore when I saw her so distraught, much of my joy was taken away, because of the peril to the which I perceived that she, for my sake, exposed her honour, and in the which she placed herself. And because of this, I undertook many journeys, and sailed beyond the seas for fear of evil-speaking. And in the manner did I spend ten years, and ofttimes did I go to and fro. And at times, when it was opportune, it chanced that I saw my dear lady.

And in suchwise did I explore many lands. And in a severe encounter I was made a prisoner of war, at the which my lady was disquieted. Thus I endured many misfortunes ere the ten years pa.s.sed by. Even love brought many upon me, and saved me not from them, for albeit I never, on my soul, saw aught in my lady the which should have caused me to mistrust her, jealousy, which is like unto madness, brewed for me such a potion, that I became like unto one mad, for once, on my return from afar, I bethought me, as soon as I saw her, that her heart was changed toward me, and that, as it seemed to me, she had wholly cast me off, the which filled my heart with such grief, that I was mad with rage. Thus all my happiness was gone, and for longwhiles I could not calm or appease my heart, the which was sorely troubled, and my lady was so displeased with me on account of this, that for awhile I somewhat lost her favour.

Moreover, if I may venture to say so, I once saw her a little jealous, the which distressed me much, for I knew not the reason of it, for G.o.d knows that neither in thought nor in demeanour was I ever false to her, nor did I so much as raise mine eyes to notice any other lady. But I well perceived that he whose heart is wholly possessed of the pa.s.sion of love much needs become a prey to jealousy, for he who bears within him a great and perfect love, can scarce restrain him from it.

And many songs were written touching our affair, some sad, and some joyous; and for divers occasions I devised ballads, and lays, and plaints, and other conceits, of the which there was one that was joyous amongst ten which were sad, for such is the wont of the foolish heart which dissembles love; and my lady sent some to me in her turn when that she was able. And our ditties eased our troubles when that we were far from one another, for in such manner did we divert us in the hope of coming by something better, however long this might be in the coming.

And I have made known everything, from first to last, touching the love from the which, for full ten years, I had very sad and painful thoughts, but our love is in nowise ended, nor will it pa.s.s away until that our bodies perish. But slanderers (whom may G.o.d confound, for there are too many of them in the world) have forced me to abandon the fellowship of her to whom I had made promise of my whole love. And in this she shall not find me to fail. But I perceived that dishonour came to her because of me; wherefore I hated my life which dured so long, for every one gossiped about her. And in order to preserve her honour and her peace of mind, I shrank from seeing her whom I loved above all, but ne'ertheless, sorrowful and sad, I long made lament for that she was so blamed on my account. But notwithstanding, my body, my goods, and all that I have to bestow, are hers, and if it were needful, I would die for her, and this is no fable. So I pray Almighty G.o.d to give her peace, and honour, and a happy life, and perfect joy without end. And now my story is ended.

The Book called "The Duke of True Lovers" is set forth.

The Book of the Duke of True Lovers Part 6

If you are looking for The Book of the Duke of True Lovers Part 6 you are coming to the right place. The Book of the Duke of True Lovers is a Webnovel created by Christine de Pisan. This lightnovel is currently completed.

Now have I recounted unto you how that in the first instance I was surprised and subdued by love, and was afterward grievously constrained by great longing, and how my dear kinsman gave himself much trouble, with the result that I was delivered from my trouble by my lady, who had mercy on me, thanks be to her. And I will tell how that from that time I went to and fro. Thenceforth I was happy even as you have heard, and because of the joy which I had, I devised this ballad:-

BALLAD

In all the world is none so happy here Nor is there any joy to match with mine, Since she that hath no rival and no peer Doth mercifully to my suit incline.

Her slave am I till death, for all my pain In very truth hath met with guerdon meet: She was my help on whom I called amain, For she hath granted me her love so sweet.

Fair queen, in whom all n.o.bleness is clear, Thou would'st not have me for thy presence pine: Nay, bid me cry in every lover's ear, "Thirsty was I for Love's immortal wine!"

Not all my weeping might the gift obtain, Yet she, enthroned on beauty's mercy-seat, Hath pardoned all: too soon did I complain For she hath granted me her love so sweet.

Now to delight returns the torrent drear That of my mourning was the sorry sign: Now am I joyous and of merry cheer, More than aforetime in her grace divine.

Love bade me follow in his chosen train Where gladness walks beside my lady's feet, Nor any loss is mingled with my gain, For she hath granted me her love so sweet.

Princess of love, my sorrow I disdain Since out of mourning cometh joy complete By grace of her who is love's suzerain, For she hath granted me her love so sweet.

So I demeaned me prudently and wisely, and I desired to have apparel and horses and beautiful things in much plenty, and great pains did I take to make me acquainted with all matters which become honest folk, and, as far as I was able, I avoided those which are unworthy, and I always had the desire to increase my fame, to the end that my lady might hold herself loved of a brave man. Thus I spared no pains to become rich, in order to dispense freely, and it appeared as if I made no count of riches.

But to shorten my story, I tell you truly that none other thought had I than to follow in the path of true lovers, and oft, thank G.o.d, did I come to enjoy the welcome favours the which Love and Dames dispense to those who are faithful to them, for I well knew how to compa.s.s this, although it became expedient to be very careful where I saw my sweet G.o.ddess each week, so that no one, save those who were trusted, should come to know of it. And the first time that I returned to her, I took her this new ballad, the which greatly pleased her, and I brought back one from her.

BALLAD

Command of me, my Lady and my queen, All thy good pleasure, as I were thy slave, Which I shall do with glad and humble mien That whatsoe'er thou willest, thou may'st have.

I owe no less Being bound thereto for so great pleasantness, More than to other lovers may betide: For sweeter are thy gifts than all beside.

Thy love delivered me from dule and teen, All that was needful to my soul it gave: Is there not here in truth good reason seen Thy love should rule the heart thy love did save?

Ah, what mistress So guerdoneth her servant with largess Of love's delight? The rest have I denied, For sweeter are thy gifts than all beside.

Since such a harvest of reward I glean, Love in my heart hath risen like a wave: Thy slave am I, as I thy slave have been, While life shall last. Ah, damsel bright and brave, Sweet patroness Of spirit and strength, and lady of n.o.blesse, All other comfort doth my heart deride, For sweeter are thy gifts than all beside.

Most dear princess Of joy thou art the fount, as I confess: I thirst no longer, but am satisfied, For sweeter are thy gifts than all beside.

Ere I parted from this very sweet being, I received an answer to my ballad, the which gave me more than a little very ardent rapture, for the enchanting fair one, whilst reading it, put her arms about my neck.

And here it is:-

BALLAD

Ever blessed be the day, Be the place and be the dwelling, That hath ended my delay, Shown the truth I shrank from telling.

Dear friend, behold My love is yours, a costlier gift than gold: To Love be praise, that first the bond hath knit, For I am filled with perfect joy from it.

Since I yielded to thy sway When thy heart with grief was swelling, Swiftly speeding as he may Joy is come, my care dispelling: Now am I bold To give thee love, that guerdons manifold May heal thee from thy sorrow every whit, For I am filled with perfect joy from it.

So my soul, with G.o.d for stay, The new blissful years foretelling, Finds in thee, for whom I pray, Grace and gladness all excelling.

I that of old Gave thee but sorry cheer and comfort cold, Am straightway turned to serve thee, as is fit, For I am filled with perfect joy from it.

When I had told My love, my heart was yours to have and hold: To grief I yield not, nor to blame submit, For I am filled with perfect joy from it.

In suchwise was happiness granted to me, even as you hear, and I pursued it with joy and gladness. But fortune, who is ready, whensoe'er she can, to do harm to lovers, straightway thought to do me very grievous hurt, as I will relate in a few words.

It chanced, in a short while, that the lady who knew of our love, and who concealed our doings, had business at home, from the which loss would happen to her inheritance if she did not go there forthwith, wherefore, sad and sorrowful, she departed from the Court. And as for me, this caused me great grief, for I well knew that my lady would essay naught without her. And on this account I was much distressed, for, certes, I could in nowise rest without seeing her. And my lady knew this well, and I am persuaded that it was not otherwise with her. So she then bethought her of a lady who had likewise been in her service all her life, and who was prudent and discreet, and good, loyal, and reserved, although no longer did she live at Court. So she resolved to inquire of her if she was willing to return. Therefore without delay she wrote this letter to her, and received an answer from her.

_The d.u.c.h.ess_

_To my very dear and good friend_, _The Lady of La Tour_.

_Very dear and kind Friend_,-Concerning my estate, be pleased to know that I am in health, and I pray G.o.d to grant the same to you. I write to you because of the desire which I have to see you, and to speak with you, for I have not forgotten the good and faithful service which you have alway rendered me, for the which I hold myself so much bounden to you, that I can never repay it. And be sure that you have a friend in me, and you can put this to the proof whensoe'er you will. Dear lady and friend, you well know how that I am controlled, and held in great subjection and fear, and am harshly treated, and that my lot is a very hard one, and allows me but little happiness, and that I have no friend to whom I can make plaint and tell my secret thoughts, the which I would not make confession of to any save to you, from whom I would not hide aught any more than I would from my confessor, for I know you to be so loyal, that I can trust in you. You must know, therefore, that it is a very grievous sorrow to a young heart always to live in disquiet, and devoid of happiness. So I would that you were near me, and I would tell you of very pleasing things, concerning the which, with good reason, I do not write to you. And thus I have great need of your aid and good counsel, wherefore I pray you, by all the love you bear me, that, as soon as you have read this letter, you so arrange your affairs that you may be ready to come to me within a week from this, and I will send to fetch you with all due honour. And do not be in anywise troubled about leaving your household, for I pledge you my faith to make so liberal recompense, that it will alway be to the advantage of you and yours. And I pray you not to fail me in this, and to send me, by the bearer of this letter, your favourable reply. I commend me to your daughter-in-law. Dear, kind friend, may the Holy Spirit have you in His keeping.

_Written in my Castle, the eighth day of January._

And my lady despatched a messenger, and sent this letter to the lady whom she wholly regarded as her friend, and whom she much loved. And she sent a reply, the which disquieted me, for it was very much to my prejudice, and in this manner did she counsel her:-

_My very revered Lady_,-In the first place I send you my very humble respects, and may it please you to know that I have received your very loving and tender letter, for the which, with all my unworthy heart, I thank you, and in the which you do me so great honour as to have in remembrance the trivial services, in nowise worthy of your honoured and n.o.ble self, which I rendered you in the past, and thus I am beholden to you more than I can ever deserve. As concerns my going to you at this present, I very humbly beseech you, my very dear Lady, to hold me excused, for, on my faith, my daughter is so grievously sick that on no account can I leave her, and G.o.d knows how I am troubled because of her sickness. But since, my very revered Lady, I cannot hold speech with you as soon as I would, and I am bound to counsel you as to your conduct, as one who has been under my guidance from childhood until now, however unworthy I have been of this, methinks I should be wrong if I kept silence touching that which I knew might bring any trouble upon you if I failed to make it known to you. Wherefore, dear Lady, I write what follows, for the which I very humbly entreat of you in no way to bear me ill-will, for you may be a.s.sured that very great love, and the desire that your great renown and honour may ever increase, moves me to this. My Lady, I have heard certain rumours touching your conduct which grieve me from the bottom of my heart because of the fear I have of the ruin of your good name, to the which, as it seems to me, they tend, for it is right and fitting for every princess and high-born lady, since she is exalted in honour and estate above others, to exceed all others in goodness, wisdom, manners, disposition, and behaviour, to the end that she may be an ensample by the which other dames, and even all womankind, should regulate their conduct. And thus it is meet that she be devout toward G.o.d, and have a tranquil, gentle, and calm demeanour, and in her diversions be restrained and without excess, that she laugh with moderation and not without cause, and have a stately carriage, modest look, and dignified bearing, with a kindly response and a courteous word for every one, her dress and attire rich but not too affected, gracious in her welcome of strangers, in speech restrained and not too familiar, not hasty in judgment or fickle, never appearing harsh, capricious, or ill-humoured, or too difficult to serve, humane and kind to her waiting-women and servants, not too haughty, in giving bountiful within reason, knowing how to recognise those who are the most worthy in goodness and prudence, and her best servants, and to draw all these to her, and recompense them according to their deserts, not trusting or putting faith in flatterers, but recognising them, and driving them from her, not lightly believing gossip, not given to the habit of whispering either to stranger or to intimate friend in any secret or solitary place, and in particular not to any of her retainers or serving-women, so that none may be able to think that he knows more than another of her private affairs, never saying in jest to any one whomsoever, in the presence of others, aught which may not be understood of all, so that those hearing it may not imagine there to be some foolish secret between them, and keeping herself neither too much confined to her chamber, or to herself, nor too much in the sight of other folk, but sometimes retiring, and at other times appearing before others. And although the foregoing conditions, and all other usages befitting a n.o.ble princess, were aforetime observed by you, you now act quite otherwise, it is said, for you amuse yourself much more, and have become more communicative and mirthful than was your wont, and it is when the outward signs are changed, that one usually judges the disposition to be altered, and now you desire to be alone, and withdrawn from others save one or two of your waiting-women, and some of your dependants, with whom, even in the presence of others, you consult privately, and t.i.tter, and talk secretly, as if you well understood one another, and naught but the company of such pleases you, and the others can in nowise serve you to your liking, the which things and doings arouse envy in your other servants, and cause them to think that your heart is enamoured of some one. Ah, my very sweet Lady, for G.o.d's sake remember who you are, and the high position to which G.o.d has raised you, and consent not, for the sake of any foolish pleasure, to be forgetful of your soul and your honour, and do not put trust in the vain fancy which many young women have, who permit themselves to believe that there is no wrong in loving with tender pa.s.sion provided this is not accompanied by any wrongful act (and I am convinced that you would prefer death to this), and that it makes life more pleasurable, and that one thus makes a man gallant and renowned for aye. Ah, my dear Lady, it is quite the reverse, and for G.o.d's sake do not deceive yourself, or let yourself be deceived as to this, and take warning from such n.o.ble ladies as you have seen in your time (and such there are), who, through being merely suspected of such love, have, without the truth ever becoming known, on this account lost both honour and life. And yet on my soul I am satisfied that they had neither sinned nor done aught that was wrong. Ne'ertheless their children have seen them reproached and thought lightly of. And however dishonourable such foolish love is in any woman, be she rich or poor, it is still much more unbecoming and harmful in a princess or a high-born lady, and the more so the more exalted she is, and the reason of this is just, for the fame of a princess extends everywhere, and hence, if there is any stain on her good name, it is more known of in foreign lands than in the case of simple folk, and, moreover, gives rise to doubts concerning their offspring, who are destined to be rulers in the land, and the princes of other folk. And it is a great misfortune when there is any suspicion that they are not the rightful heirs, and much trouble may come of it, for even if there has been no wrong-doing, this will in nowise be believed by those who have but heard it reported, "This lady is in love."

And because of a few tender glances, perchance given thoughtlessly and without evil intent, malicious tongues will pa.s.s judgment, and will add things about it the which were never done or thought of, and thus the story, the which is never diminished, but is ever being added to, pa.s.ses from mouth to mouth. And thus it is the more necessary for a n.o.ble lady than for other women to pay great attention to all her words and ways and demeanour, and the reason of this is, that, in the presence of a n.o.ble lady, every one pays attention to her, both to hear what she will say, and also to attentively take note of all her doings. And thus the lady cannot look, speak, laugh, or jest, without all being put together, discussed, and borne in mind of many, and then reported broadcast. Bethink you, therefore, my very dear Lady, that it may have a very bad appearance when a high-born lady, and indeed any woman, becomes gay and mirthful, and willing to listen to amorous discourse, more than is her wont, and then, when for any reason she changes her mind, of a sudden becomes discontented, ungracious, and on her defence, and no one can serve her to her satisfaction, and she takes no trouble about her dress or apparel. Certes, folk then say that she must have been in love, but is so no longer. My Lady, this is in nowise demeanour becoming to a lady, for, whate'er may be her intentions, she should alway have a care so to demean and conduct herself, that such judgments cannot be pa.s.sed on her, and although it may well be that, in a matter of love, it is difficult to maintain such moderation, the most sure way to this end is to wholly eschew and shun it. Thus you may know, dear Lady, that every n.o.ble lady, and every other woman likewise, should be far more desirous to acquire a fair name than any other treasure, for this reflects honour on her, and ever dures to her and her children. Revered Lady, as I have erewhile observed, I wholly realise and bear in mind that the influence which can dispose a young woman to incline to such love, is that youth, and ease, and indolence cause her to say to herself, "You are young, you must enjoy yourself, you can well love without wrong-doing, and this is in nowise evil when it is without sin, you will make a man valiant, no one will know of it, you will live more merrily because of it, and you will have won a true servant and a loyal friend, and, therefore, all your desire."

Ah, my Lady, for G.o.d's sake have a care that you be not deceived by such foolish fancies; for, as far as concerns happiness, be a.s.sured that in love affairs there is an hundred thousand times more of grief, of care, and of perilous risk, especially for the ladies, than there is of happiness. Moreover, whiles that love of itself brings in its train many divers troubles, the fear of the loss of honour, and that this may become known (the which makes such pleasure dearly bought), continually haunts the mind.

And as to saying, "There can be no harm in this, since it will not result in sin," alas, my Lady, no one can by any means be so sure of herself as to be certain that, however good her resolution may be, she will alway keep herself in restraint in the matter of love made in this wise, or that it will not be discovered, as I have said before. Of a truth, this is not possible, for never is there fire without smoke, but there is often smoke without fire. And to say, "I shall make a man valiant," certes, I declare that it is very great folly to ruin oneself in order to advance another, even if he be made brave thereby, and surely does she bring ruin upon herself who degrades herself for the sake of exalting another. And as to saying, "I shall have gained a true friend and servant," good G.o.d! in what manner could such a friend or servant advantage a lady? For if she were in any trouble, he would not dare concern himself in anywise on her behalf, for fear of her dishonour.

Therefore how could such a servant, who would not risk himself in her service, be of profit to her? And though there are some who say they serve their ladies when that they achieve great things, either in arms or in other ways, I say that they serve themselves, since the honour and the profit of it remains to them, and in nowise to the lady. And yet again, my Lady, if you or any other would make excuse by saying, "Mine is a sad lot, the which allows me but little freedom and happiness, and because of this I can, without wrong-doing, have pleasure in another in order to dispel melancholy and to pa.s.s the time,"

a.s.suredly never, with submission to your honoured self and all others who speak thus, does such excuse avail aught, for very foolish is he who sets fire to his own house in order to burn that of his neighbour, but she who bears with such a husband patiently, and without discrediting herself, so much the more increases the good renown of herself and of her honour. And as to having pleasure, certes a n.o.ble lady, and indeed every woman, can, if she will, find, without such love as this, enough of lawful and fitting pleasures to the which to give herself up, and with the which to pa.s.s the time without melancholy. For those who have children, what more agreeable or delightful pleasure can be desired than to see them oft, and to have a care that they are well nourished and instructed as befits their n.o.ble birth and estate, and to train the daughters in suchwise that from childhood they may, from the example of good company, form the habit of living in a proper and seemly manner? But if the mother is not prudent in all ways, what sort of an ensample is she, alas, to the daughters? And for those who have no children, certes it is not unworthy of any n.o.ble lady, after she has had care for her household, to betake her to some work, in order to avoid idleness, either working fine linen or silken apparel with rare broidery, or other things of the which she can make fitting use, and such occupations are wise, and prevent idle thoughts. But in nowise do I say that a young and n.o.ble lady may not rightly divert herself, and laugh, and play, at seasonable times, even in the presence of lords and gentlemen, or that she may not, so far as is befitting to her position, do honour to strangers, to each one according to his rank, but this should be done so soberly, and in such modest fashion, that there be not a single glance, or laugh, or word, the which is not under due restraint, and within proper bounds, and she should ever be on her guard that it may not be possible to discover in her aught that is unworthy or unseemly, either in word, look, or behaviour. Ah, G.o.d! If every n.o.ble lady, and in truth every woman, rightly knew how such virtuous demeanour becomes her, the more would she be at pains to possess this adornment rather than any other whatsoever, for no precious jewel is there which can adorn her so well. And further, my very dear Lady, it remains to speak of the perils and difficulties which accompany such love, the which are without number. The first and greatest is that it angers G.o.d, and then if the husband or kinsfolk discover it, the woman is ruined, or falls under reproach, and never after has she any happiness. And again, even if this does not come to pa.s.s, let us consider the disposition of lovers, for though all were loyal, secret, and truthful (the which they by no means are, since it is well known that they are generally faithless, and, in order to deceive the ladies, say that which they neither think on nor would do), ne'ertheless of a surety it is true that the ardour of such love does not dure for long, even with the most loyal. Ah, dear Lady!

be warned that truly you cannot conceive the troublous thought which dwells in her breast when it comes to pa.s.s that this love is at an end, and the lady, who has been blinded by the environment of foolish delight, grievously repents her when she perceives and meditates on the distractions and the divers perils the which she has ofttimes encountered, and how much she would, whatever it had cost her, that this had never chanced to her, and that she could not be thus reproached. And, moreover, you and every lady can see what folly it is to put one's person and one's honour at the mercy of the tongues, and in the power, of such servants, for they call themselves servants, although, for the most part, the ending of the service is such that, although they have made promise unto you, and have sworn, to keep the secret, they in no wise hold their peace concerning it, and in the end the ladies are ofttimes left with the reproach of such love, and the gossip of folk concerning it, or, at the very least, with the fear and dread in their hearts that those very ones in whom they have put their trust, talk of it, and make boast of it, to any one else who knows of the affair, and thus they are delivered over from freedom to bondage, and behold the end of such love! Do you not perceive, my Lady, that it seems to these servants to be greatly to their credit to say, and to make boast, that they are, or have been, loved of a very n.o.ble mistress, or a woman of high rank, and how that they suppress the truth concerning it? But G.o.d knows how they lie, and may He grant that, as regards you, my Lady, you may know it well, for you will have need to bear it in mind. And since, my Lady, you love ballads and ditties, I send you one touching on this subject, written by a clever master, if you will do me the favour to take notice of it. And the servants, too, who know your secret, and whom it behoves you to trust, think you, i'

faith, that they keep silence concerning this, albeit you have made them swear to do so? Certes, the greater number of them are such that they would be very much vexed if it were not noised abroad that they have much greater intimacy and authority with you than have the others, and if they do not openly proclaim your secrets, they hint at them by means of divers covert signs, the which they think are duly observed. Good G.o.d, what a slave is the lady, and any other woman in the like case, who dares not reprove or blame her serving men or women, even if she sees that they behave them very ill, for that she perceives herself to be in their power, and that they have risen up against her in such arrogance that she dares not utter a word, and is thus constrained to endure at their hands that which she would not endure from any other! And what, think you, do those say who see and pay heed to this? These only pay attention to that which they see, and be sure that they ofttimes whisper it abroad, and if it chances that the lady is angered, or sends away her servant, G.o.d knows that all will be revealed, and made known everywhere. And yet it ofttimes happens that they are, and have been, the means and the cause of bringing into being this love, the which they have encouraged with zeal and great diligence, in order to gain for themselves either gifts, or offices, or other emoluments. Very honoured Lady, what shall I say concerning this? Be a.s.sured that as soon as one sifts the matter to the bottom, one discovers all the mischievous perils which this amorous life entails; and do not doubt this, for so it is. And because of this, very dear Lady, do not cast yourself into such peril, and if you have any thought of it, for G.o.d's sake withdraw from it before greater evil to you comes of it, for better is it to do this betimes than late, and late than never, and already you can see what will be said about it if that you persevere in your unwonted ways, when even now they are perceived, and in consequence of this are talked of in many places. Thus I know not what further to write to you, save that, to the utmost of my power, I humbly entreat of you not to take this from me in bad part, but may it please you to be a.s.sured of the good intent which constrains me to say it, and very much rather would I do my duty by loyally admonishing you, and causing you to be an-angered, than either counsel you to your ruin, or keep silence concerning it in order to have your goodwill. My Lady, be pleased to pay heed to my ballad, the which I enclose herewith. Very honoured Princess, and my dear Lady, I pray G.o.d to give you a happy and long life, and paradise.-Written at La Tour, this 18th day of January

Your very humble servant,

_Sebille de Monthault_, Lady of La Tour.

BALLAD

Most n.o.ble ladies, cherish your fair fame, And for G.o.d's love the contrary eschew Of good report, lest thus you come to blame: Nor make your choice of all acquaintance new.

For some might tell (such evil tongues have they), How wanton manners in your life they see, Though never yet in any fault you lay: And from such faithless rascals keep you free.

For little would it serve to bear the name Of one whom many love, yet find for due Nought but dishonour that from slanderers came Telling abroad how in your works they knew Your wantonness: so well it is alway To hold aloof, ere any trial be, From ill that follows after foolish play, And from such faithless rascals keep you free.

Nay, be ye rather armed against the same With perfect wit, so tirelessly they sue To stain your honour, whence full often shame Comes without cause, yet they to pleasure you Feign courtesy: my warning may not stay, So oft I hear how those ye hold in fee Blame you no less: withdraw from these, I pray, And from such faithless rascals keep you free.

Most n.o.ble ladies! be not wroth to-day That I have ever counselled you to flee These traitors: trust me, though no more I say, And from such faithless rascals keep you free.