CHAPTER XVIII

OF THE MASTIFF AND OF HIS NATURE

A mastiff is a manner of hound. The mastiff's nature and his office is to keep his master's beasts and his master's house, and it is a good kind of hound, for they keep and defend with all their power all their master's goods. They be of a churlish nature and ugly shape. Nevertheless there are some _that come to be berslettis,[168] and also to bring well and fast and wanlace_ (range) _about_.[169] Sometimes there be many good, especially for men who hunt for profit of the household to get flesh. Also of mastiffs and alaunts there be (bred) many good for the wild boar. Also from mastiffs and hounds for the hawk (there be bred) hounds that men should not make much mention of, therefore I will no more speak of them, for there is no great mastery nor great readiness in the hunting that they do, _for their nature is not to be tenderly nosed_.

[168] Bercellettis or bercelettes, hounds, most likely shooting dogs, from _berser_, to shoot, _bercel_, an archer's butt.

[169] _Wanlasour_, one who drives game. Appendix: Wanlace.

[Illustration: THE FIVE BREEDS OF HOUNDS DESCRIBED IN THE TEXT (From MS. f. fr. 616, _Bib. Nat_., Paris)]