"Hunting is the practice of pursuing animals to capture or kill them for food, recreation, or trade of their products....Hunted animals are referred to as game animals, and are usually large mammals or migratory birds." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hunting
Hunting was a social as well as physical outlet for royalty and nobility under the Tudor and Stuart dynasties. Poaching was considered a serious offense against the king and was punishable by fees, imprisonment, or, in a few cases, death.
Henry VIII was an avid hunter; the lands freed by the Dissolution of the Monasteries made the creation of large parks for hunting possible.
Queen Elizabeth also enjoyed participating in bow and stable hunting (where deer are driven en masse in front of the hunters), while King James I and VI relished hunting par force.
At King James’ instigation, Parliament increased the regulations on which types of people could legally participate in the hunt (with the privilege tied to social class) with a series of laws between 1603 and 1610.
At the same time the movement between social strata was becoming more possible, because of increased economic opportunities for those outside the aristocracy and an increased availability titles for sale by the King. Therefore, more people met the legal requirements to be eligible to participate in the hunt.
As the higher social echelons became permeable, hunting remained the recreation of choice for the nobility, turning the sport into a skill necessary for the nouveaux riche of the times. Hunting took on a social function similar to golf today.
Business people know games of golf with colleagues turn into important settings for making social and business connections. Golf is a sport that takes place in specified large spaces (golf courses, country clubs); it has its own jargon (birdies, bogeys, par); it requires specialized (usually expensive) equipment and often enablers (golf clubs, golf carts, caddies). Thus, the setting, requirements for participation, and the time to practice the challenging nature of the sport, give it exclusivity.
Hunting in early modern England served the same purpose. Hunting took place in hunting parks owned by members of the aristocracy; it had specialized terms calling for packs of dogs and horses, and the huntsmen necessary to care for them.
Thus, economic and social shifts created a new class of those who were upwardly mobile, with money, admitted to higher ranks, but who did not have the social advantages of being raised with the elite.
As such, they would not have participated in the hunt in their youth, or be familiar with the nuances of the sport. They were in danger of appearing ignorant, ill-bred and ill-mannered.
An example of those who were in this situation can be seen in Act 4, Scene 2, of Shakespeare’s Love’s Labors Lost (1598), where Holofernes, Sir Nathaniel and Dull dispute the correct term for the deer that the Princess has just slain. Holofernes calls it a deer, and Nathaniel corrects him:
NATHANIEL. Truly, Master Holofernes, the epithets are sweetly varied, like a scholar at the least: but, sir, I assure ye it was a buck of the first head. HOLOFERNES. Sir Nathaniel, haud credo. DULL. 'Twas not a old grey doe; 'twas a pricket. (4.2.1-20)
Dull mishears “haud credo” (“I do not think so”) as “old grey doe”; since he is a constable his mistake is easier to overlook than that of Nathaniel or Holofernes, who, as a scholar and a knight/curate working in the surroundings of court, ought to have a grasp of hunting terminology.
Confusion over hunting terminology shows how the lack of knowledge exposed parvenus to social risks.
Yes, there were early modern English hunting manuals which functioned as courtesy literature for those newly admitted to the higher levels of society. Most notably George Gascoigne and Gervase Markham explained the techniques employed in early modern hunting.
It's interesting to note that neither Gascoigne nor Markham gained favorable positions at court as a result of their efforts.
Cosmo, the future Grand Duke of Turin, visited Hampton Court Park.
I've standardized the spelling of names I know, corrected the scanning errors I could figure out, and increased the number of paragraphs. Sometimes I got confused, so I apologize if they are wrong:
On the morning of 20/30 May, 1669 his highness performed his usual devotional exercises at an early hour, that he might be ready for his projected excursion to Hampton Court, now that calm and mild weather invited him to that recreation; and my Lord Philip Howard and my Lord Anthony Ashley-Cooper waited on him for that purpose.
With them he entered his carriage, and set out, followed by the gentlemen of his suite, for the above-mentioned royal residence, which is about 12 miles from London, in order to see the deer-hunting in the adjacent park.
On first entering the park, he was met by Prince Robert [RUPERT], who was likewise come thither for the diversion of seeing the hunt. After the usual compliments, his highness went forward.
Prince Robert [RUPERT] remaining in the place appointed for him under the shade of a tree, on a stage a little raised from the ground, which is the same where the king stands to see this amusement.
328
When the huntsmen had stretched out the nets, after the German manner, inclosing with them a considerable space of land, they let the dogs loose upon 4 deer which were confined there, who, as soon as they saw them, took to flight; but as they had not the power of going which way they pleased, they ran round the nets, endeavoring, by various cunning leaps to save themselves from being stopped by the dogs, and continued to run in this manner for some time, to the great diversion of the spectators, till at last the huntsmen, that they might not harass the animals superfluously, drawing a certain cord, opened the nets in one part, which was prepared for that purpose, and left the deer at liberty to escape.
Having walked during the deer-hunting over the park, which is rendered truly delightful by its numerous canals and amenities of every kind, his highness repaired to the palace to view the building, which is a piece of beautiful Gothic architecture, ...
Besides the sumptuousness of this building, and the pleasantness of the gardens, the amusements of hunting and fishing are not wanting, those diversions being at hand in the park, which is of considerable size, both in length and breadth, enclosing large meadows, where the preserved deer feed.
To vary the delights of these beautiful premises, several canals or ponds are distributed in different parts of the park, in whose transparent waters quantities of fish are seen sporting, which are reserved for the diversion of angling.
@@@
Also see the description of HAMPTON COURT PALACE in our encyclopedia.
From: TRAVELS OF COSMO THE THIRD, GRAND DUKE OF TUSCANY, THROUGH ENGLAND, DURING THE REIGN OF KING CHARLES THE SECOND (1669) TRANSLATED FROM THE ITALIAN MANUSCRIPT https://archive.org/stream/travelsofcosmoth00maga…
His highness, Cosmo, must be considered only as a traveler. Under his direction, the narrator of the records was Count Lorenzo Magalotti, afterwards Secretary to the Academy del Cimento, and one of the most learned and eminent characters of the court of Ferdinand II.
5 Annotations
Terry F • Link
"Hunting is the practice of pursuing animals to capture or kill them for food, recreation, or trade of their products....Hunted animals are referred to as game animals, and are usually large mammals or migratory birds." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hunting
San Diego Sarah • Link
Hunting was a social as well as physical outlet for royalty and nobility under the Tudor and Stuart dynasties. Poaching was considered a serious offense against the king and was punishable by fees, imprisonment, or, in a few cases, death.
Henry VIII was an avid hunter; the lands freed by the Dissolution of the Monasteries made the creation of large parks for hunting possible.
Queen Elizabeth also enjoyed participating in bow and stable hunting (where deer are driven en masse in front of the hunters), while King James I and VI relished hunting par force.
At King James’ instigation, Parliament increased the regulations on which types of people could legally participate in the hunt (with the privilege tied to social class) with a series of laws between 1603 and 1610.
At the same time the movement between social strata was becoming more possible, because of increased economic opportunities for those outside the aristocracy and an increased availability titles for sale by the King. Therefore, more people met the legal requirements to be eligible to participate in the hunt.
As the higher social echelons became permeable, hunting remained the recreation of choice for the nobility, turning the sport into a skill necessary for the nouveaux riche of the times. Hunting took on a social function similar to golf today.
Business people know games of golf with colleagues turn into important settings for making social and business connections. Golf is a sport that takes place in specified large spaces (golf courses, country clubs); it has its own jargon (birdies, bogeys, par); it requires specialized (usually expensive) equipment and often enablers (golf clubs, golf carts, caddies). Thus, the setting, requirements for participation, and the time to practice the challenging nature of the sport, give it exclusivity.
Hunting in early modern England served the same purpose. Hunting took place in hunting parks owned by members of the aristocracy; it had specialized terms calling for packs of dogs and horses, and the huntsmen necessary to care for them.
Thus, economic and social shifts created a new class of those who were upwardly mobile, with money, admitted to higher ranks, but who did not have the social advantages of being raised with the elite.
As such, they would not have participated in the hunt in their youth, or be familiar with the nuances of the sport. They were in danger of appearing ignorant, ill-bred and ill-mannered.
An example of those who were in this situation can be seen in Act 4, Scene 2, of Shakespeare’s Love’s Labors Lost (1598), where Holofernes, Sir Nathaniel and Dull dispute the correct term for the deer that the Princess has just slain. Holofernes calls it a deer, and Nathaniel corrects him:
San Diego Sarah • Link
NATHANIEL. Truly, Master Holofernes, the epithets are sweetly varied, like a scholar at the least: but, sir, I assure ye it was a buck of the first head.
HOLOFERNES. Sir Nathaniel, haud credo.
DULL. 'Twas not a old grey doe; 'twas a pricket. (4.2.1-20)
Dull mishears “haud credo” (“I do not think so”) as “old grey doe”; since he is a constable his mistake is easier to overlook than that of Nathaniel or Holofernes, who, as a scholar and a knight/curate working in the surroundings of court, ought to have a grasp of hunting terminology.
Confusion over hunting terminology shows how the lack of knowledge exposed parvenus to social risks.
Yes, there were early modern English hunting manuals which functioned as courtesy literature for those newly admitted to the higher levels of society. Most notably George Gascoigne and Gervase Markham explained the techniques employed in early modern hunting.
It's interesting to note that neither Gascoigne nor Markham gained favorable positions at court as a result of their efforts.
Much more on hunting and society and these manuals at
https://diginole.lib.fsu.edu/islandora/object/fsu…
San Diego Sarah • Link
Cosmo, the future Grand Duke of Turin, visited Hampton Court Park.
I've standardized the spelling of names I know, corrected the scanning errors I could figure out, and increased the number of paragraphs. Sometimes I got confused, so I apologize if they are wrong:
On the morning of 20/30 May, 1669 his highness performed his usual devotional exercises at an early hour, that he might be ready for his projected excursion to Hampton Court, now that calm and mild weather invited him to that recreation; and my Lord Philip Howard and my Lord Anthony Ashley-Cooper waited on him for that purpose.
With them he entered his carriage, and set out, followed by the gentlemen of his suite, for the above-mentioned royal residence, which is about 12 miles from London, in order to see the deer-hunting in the adjacent park.
On first entering the park, he was met by Prince Robert [RUPERT], who was likewise come thither for the diversion of seeing the hunt. After the usual compliments, his highness went forward.
Prince Robert [RUPERT] remaining in the place appointed for him under the shade of a tree, on a stage a little raised from the ground, which is the same where the king stands to see this amusement.
328
When the huntsmen had stretched out the nets, after the German manner, inclosing with them a considerable space of land, they let the dogs loose upon 4 deer which were confined there, who, as soon as they saw them, took to flight; but as they had not the power of going which way they pleased, they ran round the nets, endeavoring, by various cunning leaps to save themselves from being stopped by the dogs, and continued to run in this manner for some time, to the great diversion of the spectators, till at last the huntsmen, that they might not harass the animals superfluously, drawing a certain cord, opened the nets in one part, which was prepared for that purpose, and left the deer at liberty to escape.
Having walked during the deer-hunting over the park, which is rendered truly delightful by its numerous canals and amenities of every kind, his highness repaired to the palace to view the building, which is a piece of beautiful Gothic architecture, ...
San Diego Sarah • Link
PART 2
Later:
Besides the sumptuousness of this building, and the pleasantness of the gardens, the amusements of hunting and fishing are not wanting, those diversions being at hand in the park, which is of considerable size, both in length and breadth, enclosing large meadows, where the preserved deer feed.
To vary the delights of these beautiful premises, several canals or ponds are distributed in different parts of the park, in whose transparent waters quantities of fish are seen sporting, which are reserved for the diversion of angling.
@@@
Also see the description of HAMPTON COURT PALACE in our encyclopedia.
From:
TRAVELS OF COSMO THE THIRD, GRAND DUKE OF TUSCANY,
THROUGH ENGLAND,
DURING THE REIGN OF KING CHARLES THE SECOND (1669)
TRANSLATED FROM THE ITALIAN MANUSCRIPT
https://archive.org/stream/travelsofcosmoth00maga…
His highness, Cosmo, must be considered only as a traveler. Under his direction, the narrator of the records was Count Lorenzo Magalotti, afterwards Secretary to the Academy del Cimento, and one of the most learned and eminent characters of the court of Ferdinand II.