Page:Manners and customs of ye Englyshe.djvu/130

MR. PIPS HIS DIARY. Sparrows let looſe from a Trap; which do ſeem but a cruel and barbarous kind of Sport. But little Birds were not all they ſhot, for one aiming at a Hare did miſs, and inſtead of the Hare hit one of the Dogges, and ſent him yelping and limping Home. But good Lack, to ſee how careleſs the Fellows were with their Fire-Arms, carrying their Guns, full-cocked, pointing right in one another's Faces, and one, dragging his Piece through a Hedge after him, it went off, but finding it had only carried off the Skirt of his Shooting-Coat, we had a good Laugh of it. Another, with a double-barrelled Gun, having ſhot off one Barrel at a Blackbird, I did ſee reloading; the other Barrel being ſtill loaded and at full Cock. He, forcing down the Ramrod with all his Might, I did catch him by the Elbow, and point to the Cock of the Gun, and methinks I did never ſee a Man on a Sudden tremble ſo terribly, or grow ſo pale. Getting beyond Bruſhwood, into a Field hard by, did let fly at ſome Ducks, for one of thoſe Larks he had been talking of, which did bring down upon us the Farmer, with his Bull-Dog, and cauſe us to make off with all the Speed we could. I in mighty Dread of being ſeized as an Accomplice in ſhooting the Duck, fearing the Farmer, who is horridly enraged with the Game-Preſerving at Bruſhwood, for that the Game do eat up his Crops; and, truly, the Game Laws are a great Nuiſance. Home from our Shooting, with our Bag, carried by his Tiger-Boy, very full, with a Brace or two of Pheaſants and Partridges, but many more Brace of Chaffinches, and Yellow-Hammers, and Robin-Redbreaſts, and ſo to Dinner, where all very merry, and ſo to Bed.