Note 3 — CHAP. VI.
Reading edition
In the edition of 1613, duod. the receipt here referred to occurs at the end of the volume:
Would’st thou catch fish? Then here’s thy wish; Take this receipt To anoint thy bait. Thou that desirest to fish with line and hook, Be it in poole, in river, or in brook, To blisse thy bait, and make the fish to bite, Loe here’s a means if thou canst hit it right; Take gum of life, fine beat and laid to soak In oyle, well drawn from that which kills the oak; Fish where thou wilt, thou shalt have sport thy fill, When twenty fail, thou shalt be sure to kill. Probatum. It’s perfect and good If well understood Else not to be told For silver or gold.
Lauson, who ‘augmented with many approved experiments,’ the second edition of the Secrets of Angling, 1652, duod. observes, ‘This excellent receipt divers Anglers can tell you where you may buy them.’ On the subject of ‘gum of life,’ he continues, ‘I have heard much of an oyntment that will presently cause any fish to bite; but I could never attain the knowledge thereof, the nearest in mine opinion, except this Probatum, is the oyle of an ospray, which is called Aquila Marina, the Sea-Eagle. She is of body neare the bignesse of a goose; one of her feete is web’d to swim withall, the other hath talons to catch fish. It seems the fish come up to her, for she cannot dive. Some likelihood there is also in a paste made of Coculus Indie, Assa-Fœtida, Honey and Wheat-flour; but I never tried them, therefore I cannot prescribe.’
‘That which kills the oak,’ is expressly said to signify ‘the Ivy,’ edit. 1652.
In a third, and hitherto unrecorded edition of the Secrets of Angling, it is said, ‘This excellent receipt you may buy ready and truely made, at the signe of the Flying Horse, an Apothecaries in Carter-Lane.’
Editor.