Page:Of-englishe-dogges.djvu/24

 dogges by a certaine direcion of an inwarde assured notyce and priuy marcke, pursue the deede dooers, through long lanes, crooked reaches, and weary wayes, without wandring awry out of the limites of the land whereon those desperate purloyners prepared their speedy passage. Yea, the natures of these Dogges is such, and so effectuall is their foresight, that they cā bewray, seperate, and pycke them out from among an infinite multitude and an innumerable company, creepe they neuer so farre into the thickest thronge, they will finde him out notwithstandyng he lye hidden in wylde woods, in close and ouergrowen groues, and lurcke in hollow holes apte to harbour such vngracious guestes. Moreouer, although they should passe ouer the water, thinking thereby to auoyde the pursute of the houndes, yet will not these dogges giue ouer their attempt, but presuming to swym through the streame, perseuer in their pursute, and when they be arriued and gotten the furthen bancke, they hunt vp and downe, to and fro runne they, from place to place shift they, vntil they haue attained to that plot of grounde where they passed ouer. And this is their practise, if perdie they cānot at y' first time smelling, finde out the way which the deede dooers tooke to escape. So at length get they that by arte, cunning, and dilligent indeuour, which by fortune and lucke they cannot otherwyse ouercome. In so much that it seemeth worthely and wisely written by Ælianus in his firte book and xxxiv. Chapter. . to bee as it were naturally instilled and powered into these kinde of dogges. For they wyll not pause or breath from their pursute vntill such tyme as they bee apprehended and taken that committed the facte. The owners of such houndes vse to keepe them in close and darke channells in the day time, and let them lose at liberty in the night season, to th'intent that they myght with more courage and boldnesse practise to follow the fellon in the euening and solitarie houres of darkenesse, when such yll disposed varlots are principally purposed to play theyr