The Holy Life and Happy Death of John Bruen, Chapter 12
CHAP. XII.
THis is then the ſumme of all, touching hunting and hawking, how farre they are lawfull or unlawfull in my opinion.
Firſt, it is lawfull to hunt and to hawke for the taking of ſuch creatures as may be uſefull, or might be hurtfull unto us.
Secondly, It is lawfull to take pleaſure in the naturall properties and qualities of ſuch creatures as are uſed and exerciſed in hunting and hawking to that end: As in the ſent and ſagacity of the Hound, the ſwiftneſſe of the Greyhound, the ſoaring of the Falcon, and flight of the Hawke, the jumping of the Leopard, and ſpeed and ſtrength of the Horſe.
Thirdly, It is lawfull, in hunting and hawking to uſe both naturall and artificiall inſtruments to take away the lives of ſome of the creatures, not only for our profit, but even for our pleaſure alſo.
Fourthly, It is lawfull to hunt and hawke, uſing it as a recreation, not to be a Hunter, or a Faulkener, as making it a daily occupation.
Fiftly, It is not lawfull to take pleaſure in the enmity of the creatures, nor to make their vexation our recreation, putting them to unneceſſary and extraordinary paines in their life, and to like tortures in their death, for our ſport and pleaſure onelyonly.
Sixtly, It is not lawfull to ſpend more time, no… ſo much by much, in theſe recreations, as we muſt and ought to beſtow in our honeſt and lawfull callings and vocations: As no man that meanes to preſerve his health and ſtrength, will eat more of the ſweet ſawce, than of the wholeſome meat which is provided for him.
Seventhly, It is unlawfull in and for our pleaſure in theſe exerciſes (which were intended eſpecially for the refreſhing of mens mindes, and renewing of their ſtrength after honeſt ſtudies and labours) to overtoyle, and tire out our ſelves, as did Eſau in his hunting, even untill he was almoſt dead for hunger. Inordinate affections to theſe games, and immoderate paſſions in the croſſe occurrents of them, doe not onelyonly marre all the ſport, but deprive us of all lawfull uſe and fruit of them.
Eighthly, It is unlawfull, by hunting or hawking, to overcharge our ſtate, or endammage our neighbours, by Horſes and Hounds, coſtly at home, and cumberſome abroad, ſo as we are made leſſe able to doe good to them that need, or to our owne families, and more offenſive in doing hurt to them that might looke for better things from us.
Laſtly, the exerciſe of hunting hath beene held in it ſelfe not onelyonly lawfull, but commendable amongſt the ancient Romans, and by the judgement of the wiſeſt States-men,Athen. Dipno. lib. 1. cap. 20. and Moraliſts of the world, both for increaſe of health and ſtrength in the time of peace; and for fitting and framing of the body to a nimble activity and agility for ſundry feats and exploits in the time of warre.
Sertorius a Romane Captaine and Commander,Plutarch. in Sertorio. by his travell and paines which he took in hunting, had ſo accuſtomed himſelfe to hard adventures, and dangerous and difficult paſſages, that by the nimbleneſſe and agility of his body, he was ſo able either to aſſaile his enemies, or to winde himſelfe out of their hands alſo, with ſo great facility, if he were in danger or diſtreſſe, that he overcame them oftentimes (as Plutarch reporteth of him) rather by light skirmiſhes, than by open encounter, and publike fight.
Xenophon, Plato, Ariſtotle, Plinius Secundus and others,Xeno. in lib. de venat. Galen. lib. de ſanitate tuend. & lib. de Indo parvae pile have allowed and approved of hunting, both for the execiſe of the body unto health and ſtrength, and for inuring and training up of youth in the feats of Armes, and exploits of war. Xenoph. in Cyropaedia, Plat. lib. 7. de Legib. Ariſtot. lib. 1. Polit. Plin. Sec. Lib. 5. Epist. & in Panegyric. And Julius Capitolinus, recordeth that the Romane Legions were oftentimes exerciſed in hunting,Jul. Capitol. in Maxim. p. 10 15. under Maxinūnus the Emperour, that ſo they might be better fitted for warlike ſervice and imployment,Viget. dere milit. lib. 1. cap. 7.9.10. as occaſion ſhould require. So likewiſe Vigetius reckons of thoſe that have beene well exerciſed in hunting, running, leaping, ſwimming, to be fitteſt for trained ſouldiers, and ſuch as are to be choſen, before others, for warlike affaires. And albeit many of our Gentlemen which are moſt addicted to this exerciſe of hunting, do not alwayes prove the beſt ſouldiers; neither have it ever in their minde, ſo hotly to purſue their enemies, as they doe their game, or to make the dangers of warre the end and aime of their ſports in peace:Galen. de lud. parvae pilae. Yet ſeeing in the judgement of Galen, that renowned Philoſopher and Phyſician, hunting is one of thoſe exerciſes, which is both healthfull for the body, and delightfull for the minde alſo; we will ſo farre reſt in his judgement, and allow them hunting for an honeſt recreation, if ſo be they will admit of Galens counſell and limitation therewithall.Galen. ibid. Nimium quod eſt reprehendo ſemper, &c. I alwayes blame that which is too much, and would have every art that we uſe,Luſus habet laudem ſi moderatus erit. Promptuar. Damhouderii, pa. 229: Etlucta & curſu, ſaltu & certare palaeſtra: Haec bene conveniunt, ſed moderata, viris. Promptu. Damhouderii, pa. 230. Est modus in rebus, &c. Hor. uſed in moderation, Quae ſi modum excedat, jam bona eſſe deſinit. Which ſo ſoone as it begins to exceed meaſure, it preſently ceaſeth to be good any more. Ludendi est quidam modus, Cic.lib. I. Off.
Thus by occaſion of this young Gentleman his hunting, keeping his Dogges and following hi… Hounds with ſo great care and coſt, ſo eager deſire and delight: we have for a while held hunting it ſelfe in chaſe, and ſo followed the ſent, that we might finde out the game, in the nature, end, and uſe of it, how it may ſerve for profit, and how for pleaſure, how we ought to follow it for the manner and meaſure, that it may do us good; and not to exceed therein, leſt it do us hurt.