The authorship of this volume, one of the earliest books printed in the English language, has generally been ascribed to a certain (or uncertain) Juliana Berners, Bernes, or Barnes, who lived in the early part of the fifteenth century, and who is reputed to have been prioress of the Nunnery of Sopwell,—­long since in ruins,—­near St. Albans, and close to the little river Ver, which still conceals in its quiet pools the speckled trout.  If this attribution be correct, Dame Berners was the first woman to write a book in English.  Although the question of the authorship is by no means settled, yet it is clear that the printer believed the treatise on hunting to have been written by this lady, and the critics now generally assign a portion at least of the volume to her.  In the sixteenth century the book became very popular, and was reprinted many times.

Of the several treatises it contains, that on fishing has the greatest interest, an interest increased by the fact that it probably suggested ‘The Compleat Angler’ of Izaak Walton, which appeared one hundred and sixty years later.

HERE BEGYNNYTH

THE TREATYSE OF FYSSHYNGE WYTH AN ANGLE

Salomon in his parablys sayth that a glad spyryte makyth a flourynge aege, that is a fayre aege and a longe.  And syth it is soo:  I aske this questyon, whiche ben the meanes and the causes that enduce a man in to a mery spyryte:  Truly to my beste dyscrecon it seemeth good dysportes and honest gamys in whom a man Joyeth without any repentaunce after.

Thenne folowyth it yt gode dysportes and honest games ben cause of mannys fayr aege and longe life.  And therefore now woll I chose of foure good disportes and honest gamys, that is to wyte:  of huntynge:  hawkynge:  fysshynge:  and foulynge.  The best to my symple dyscrecon whyche is fysshynge:  called Anglynge wyth a rodde:  and a lyne and an hoke.  And thereof to treate as my symple wytte may suffyce:  both for the said reason of Salomon and also for the reason that phisyk makyth in this wyse. Si tibi deficiant medici tibi fiant:  hec tria mens leta labor et moderata dieta.  Ye shall vnderstonde that this is for to saye, Yf a man lacke leche or medicyne he shall make thre thynges his leche and medicyne:  and he shall nede neuer no moo.  The fyrste of theym is a mery thought.  The seconde is labour not outrageo.  The thyrd is dyete mesurable....

Here folowyth the order made to all those whiche shall haue the vnderstondynge of this forsayd treatyse & vse it for theyr pleasures.

Ye that can angle & take fysshe to your pleasures as this forsayd treatyse techyth & shewyth you:  I charge & requyre you in the name of alle noble men that ye fysshe not in noo poore mannes seuerall water:  as his ponde:  stewe:  or other necessary thynges to kepe fysshe in wythout his lycence & good wyll.  Nor that ye vse not to breke noo mannys gynnys lyenge in theyr weares & in other places dve