Rules of Renaissance Coursing
The following rules are transcribed from Country Contentments,
published in 1638 by Gervase Markham. I have added subheads to each rule
for easier reference and have modernized and standardized the spelling of
words. Otherwise, the text under "rule" is verbatim from the eighth edition
of Markham's book. The "interpretation" is my understanding of what the
rule means. I am grateful for the extensive advice of Laurel Drew and Lynda
Adame in the preparation of these interpretations, but I take responsibility
for any errors.
The Laws of the Leash or coursing, as they were commanded, allowed,
and subscribed by Thomas late Duke of Norfolk, in the reign of Queen
Elizabeth.
- 1. The Fewterer
- Rule:
- First therefore it was ordered, that he which was chosen Fewterer, or
letter-loose of the Greyhounds, should receive the Greyhounds match
to run together into his Leash, as soon as he came into the field, and
to follow next to the Hare-finder till he came unto the former and no
horsemen nor Footman, on pain of disgrace, to go before them, or on
either side, but directly behind, the space of forty yards or
thereabouts.
- Interpretation:
- The Fewterer is given a pair of greyhounds to take by the leash and
follows at a distance the person who finds and roots out the hare. Anyone on
horseback or foot who doesn't stay about 40 yards behind the dogs will be
publically disgraced.
- 2. Number of Greyhounds
- Rule:
- That not above one brace of Greyhounds do course a hare at one
instant.
- Interpretation:
- A maximum of two greyhounds may course in a race.
- 3. Stirring up the Hare
- Rule:
- That the hare-finder should give the hare three so-hows before he put
her from her Leat, to make the Greyhounds gaze and attend her rising.
- Interpretation:
- The hare-finder must yell "SO-HOW" three times to alert the hounds
and Fewterer that a hare is about to be driven from its Leat (the nest or form
it made under a bush or in thick grass).
- 4. Distance Between Hare and Greyhounds
- Rule:
- That the Fewterer shall give the hare twelve score Law, ere he loose
the Greyhounds, except it be in danger of losing sight.
- Interpretation:
- The Fewterer must let the hare run a distance of 240 Law (possibly
240 feet or 80 yards) before slipping or letting loose the greyhounds, unless
the terrain is such that the hounds would lose sight of the hare at that
distance.
- 5. Winning on the First Turn
- Rule:
- That dog which giveth the first turn, if after the turn be given, there be
neither coat, slip, nor wrench extraordinary, then he which gave the first
turn shall be held to win the wager.
- Interpretation:
- The dog that first forces the hare to turn (meaning that it's close
enough to the hare to force it to change direction) will win the course and
the wager that was laid down on the course provided that: the other dog
does not score a "coat," the slip did not give one dog an unfair advantage,
and the other dog does not force a wrench turn (a very sharp turn) at a later
point (a wrench turn was scored higher than a normal turn, even a normal
first turn).
- 6. Catching the Hare vs. Giving the First Turn
- Rule:
- If one dog give the first turn and the other bear the hare, then he
which bore the hare shall win.
- Interpretation:
- This is another exception to the rule that the greyhound which gives
the first turn wins. If a hound catches the hare and bears it off, it wins the
match even if the other hound gave the first turn.
- 7. Winning on First and Last Turns
- Rule:
- If one dog give both the first turn and last turn, and no other advantage
between them, that odd turn shall win the wager.
- Interpretation:
- If the dogs force an equal number of turns on the hare, and gain no
advantage in any other way (such as catching the hare), then the dog which
forces the first and last turns is the winner.
- 8. Scoring Terms
- Rule:
- That a coat shall be more then two turns, and a go-by, or the bearing of
the hare equal with two turns.
- Interpretation:
- A "coat" is awarded for forcing a series of three or more turns. A "go-
by," in which one dog passes the other on a straight run and thus showed
more speed, is equal in scoring to two turns. Catching the hare also equals
two turns in score.
- 9. Winning Without a Turn
- Rule:
- If neither dog turn the hare, then he which leadeth last, at the covert,
shall be held to win the wager.
- Interpretation:
- If neither dog forces a turn of the hare (and neither catches it), the
dog in the lead at the end of the course, when the hare reaches the covert,
wins the match and the wager. The covert was thick underbrush or
woodland at the end of the course into which the hare could disappear and
thus escape the greyhounds.
- 10. Scoring a Coat
- Rule:
- If one dog turn the hare, serve himself, and turn her again, those two
turns shall be as much as a coat.
- Interpretation:
- A "coat," which normally means three or more turns, can be scored
with only two turns if the hound forces a turn, then continues on without
help from the other dog and forces a second turn. When a dog forced a turn
it normally lost ground on the hare and the other dog, if close enough, could
take advantage of this and gain on the hare, perhaps forcing a turn itself or
setting up the first dog to make another turn and thus "serving" it. A dog
which was able to gain the ground lost on one turn to also force the next
turn, without help from the other dog, had done something impressive
enough to earn a coat score.
- 11. Bearing the Hare
- Rule:
- If all the course be equal, there be only which bears the hare shall win;
and if she be not borne, then the course must be adjudged dead.
- Interpretation:
- If the scoring between the two dogs is even, the dog which catches the
hare wins. If the score is even and neither catch the hare, the match is a
draw.
- 12. Finding the Dead Hare
- Rule:
- If he which comes first into the death of the hare, takes her up and
saves her from breaking, cherisheth the dogs, and cleanseth their mouths
from the wool, or other filth of the hare, for such courtesy done, he shall in
courtesy challenge the hare, but not doing it he shall have no right,
priviledge or title therein.
- Interpretation:
- The first person who comes upon the dead hare and the dogs, if he
keeps the hare from being torn to shreds by the dogs, and cleans the dogs
up, will be able to keep the hare as a reward. But he can't keep it if he
doesn't do these things.
- 13. Recovering from a Fall
- Rule:
- If any dog shall take a fall in the course, and yet perform his part, he
shall challenge advantage of a turn more then he giveth.
- Interpretation:
- If a dog takes a tumble during the course but gets up and holds his own
against the other dog, doesn't quit or limp off, his perseverance gains him
the scoring equivalent of one turn more than he actually gave or forced.
- 14. Finishing the Course
- Rule:
- If one dog turn the hare, serve himself, and give divers coats, yet in
the end stand still in the field, the other dog without turn-giving, running
home to the covert, that dog which stood still in the field shall be then
adjudged to lose the wager.
- Interpretation:
- If a dog scores very well, but doesn't finish the course (stopping before
the covert is reached), he still loses to the lower-scoring dog which finishes
the course.
- 15. Riding Over a Dog
- Rule:
- If any man shall ride over a dog and overthrow him in his course
(though the dog were the worse dog in opinion) yet the party for the offence
shall either receive the disgrace of the field, or pay the wager; for between
the parties, it shall be adjudged no course.
- Interpretation:
- The person who rides over a dog with his horse, even if the dog
probably was going to lose the match, must pay the wager on behalf of the
dog's owner or face public disgrace (probably both in practice). The match is
nullified.
- 16. Determining the Winner
- Rule:
- Those which are chosen Judges of the Leash, shall give their
judgements presently before they depart from the field, or else he, in whose
default it lieth, shall pay the Wager by a general voice and sentence.
- Interpretation:
- If the match has formal judges, they must announce the winner before
leaving the coursing field. If no judges are present, the winner will be
decided by voice vote of those present.