Mr Auceps:
Venator and I began our day’s walk to the river Lea with happy hearts. Committing offence to neither man nor God we took shelter from heavy rain. But while for the purposes of discoursing we were resolved on this matter there are some men who suppose we anglers do offend God.
Our old friend Auceps, whom we did meet last year on the road to Ware, approached ahead of a small band of militia shouldering pikes like so many fishing rods. Methinks there was neither art in there making, nor love in their use. Those acquainted with military matters say pike-men do oftentimes saw off a few feet of its length for ease of carrying. No angler would so convenience himself for his journey as to so inconvenience his sport on arrival.
‘How now Mr Auceps! Take shelter for there is room enough beneath this hedgerow for all if we sit close. Now tell me, what business occasions you to be on the road with men and metal’
‘Gentlemen, my men and I do the Major Generals and God’s business; and will this day be of good service and close another licentious alehouse. Finding idle drunken men within who do blasphem and swear we shall fine them.’
‘’Tis hoped not the Saracen’s Head or The George where we have appointed to spend a few days.’
‘Not this day Mr Walton.’
An easy accord is to be had with moderate and sensible men. Men, like Mr Venator, who are so disposed do observe reasonable bounds in indulgence, gratifications and habits cause offence to none and when differing upon matters will do so without injury, hurt or imposition to other men. But these Puritans are not so disposed and now possessed of the authority of State do seek to impose upon moderate men more than honest and civil living, or God, demands.
But the men under Mr Auceps’s command are no part of Cromwell’s regular army, they being recruited locally. Yet these men are despised as agents of a legally dubious regime. Their godly reformation does cause offence by imposing upon men in this world their conception of the next. They do also suppose God dislikes who and what they dislike, those of the former being anyone but Puritans. The latter does include blasphemy, licentiousness and the like; which are no part of God’s design. But it is not to be doubted they think themselves patrons to local cadres of godly Protestants, though methinks them radical Puritans. Such zealots are as obnoxious to common men as the Catholics, though I would not count myself among their number in distain toward the latter.
‘Tis also well known in parts of England that stage plays, horse-racing, cock fighting and bear baiting have all been banned. The latter of which is not to my taste. But there can be no moral objection to stage plays or horse racing. I did make it known upon those matters where we disagree.
‘Methinks, and let me say it with the least offence Mr Auceps, our appointed Major General is so radical he would deny even sober honest men a draught in an honest hostelry. Puritans do suppose all alehouse and taverns licentious and full of drunkards. Yet methinks our hostess an honest woman and our lodgings no nest of Satan where impiety lurks and evil hatched.’
‘Methinks the same of your Hostess Mr Walton, and ‘tis hoped we do not need to close it. But what business brings you and Mr Venator to Ware?’
‘Mr Auceps, we once again spending a few days enjoying our recreation. Had we speculated on a chance second meeting then such was the impression made upon our minds in your commendation of your beloved recreation ‘tis certain it would be with your Hawk upon your arm.’
‘Nay Sir, mine Hawks and Falcons are given to a friend. I have no need of birds that might converse with Gods when having flown beyond the sight of men. Such a recreation did cause idleness in me and my soul and is an offence to God.’
A man’s recantation of a beloved recreation is no small matter, even if it be in favour of God. Though I see no contradiction between a man’s harmless recreation and those duties men ought to perform in His service.
‘Mr Auceps, it can only be supposed a commendation was heard since last we met of a God who would think ill of a man’s recreation, and that having heard it your soul affected.’
‘Mr Walton, just such a powerful sermon was heard from a preacher. I will tell you. ‘tis no easy matter for a man to speak so plain, the ignorant may understand, and so seriously the hardest hearts be moved, as was mine.’
‘Nor it would seem so convincingly that a sensible man would quit his recreation.’
‘Mr Walton, do you now suppose me insensible?’
‘Sir your commendation of this sermon is testimony of its power to command such belief that you abandoned your Hawks and do now give service to the Major General. But I can think of no line of reasoning, or progressive argument that might persuade a man to quit so harmless a recreation that caused no offence to God.’
‘Sir you suppose men won by argument, but none is required save the words in John’s Gospel. Here the Lord did say if you love me you will obey my commands. I will tell you also, the Bible does say men should take Christ for thy only rest.’
‘Sir, good men might enjoy God and their recreation; as do we anglers.’
‘Nay, I do tell thee, put away thy fishing poles and take God in Christ for thy only rest; and fix thy heart upon Him above all. Damnation awaits frivolous and ungodly men who disobey God’s commands.’
It is well known at all acquainted with Puritans that reading the Bible is necessary to living a pious life; and I no cause to disagree. I will tell you also belief in the Bible’s final authority is not a matter of dispute between men of the Puritan and Anglican faiths. But we do differ on a subtle matter as namely; Puritans believe we should do only that which the Bible commands. We Anglicans believe men should not do what the Bible does prohibit. It does not prohibit a man’s harmless recreation like angling that is conducive to listening to God. But the imposition of an uninvited sermon does not invite quiescence. I did rise upon my feet.
‘Mr Auceps, you seek to make all England Puritan! But methinks you do ill-service to all men in supposing them depraved, contemptible and damned. ‘Tis said by the more tolerant member of your faith Mr Baxter, whose sermons methinks you will be acquainted with, that ‘tis no Christian love to speak of a man’s faults without direct knowledge, much less to slander him. He does also say men should be kind and tenderhearted to one another. But such goodly virtues are not to be had in thy company. And though when last we parted it was full of good thoughts for each other intolerable rain is now to be preferred to intolerable company. Come Mr Venator.’
Good fortune did prevail and the rain ease but a hundreds yards distances. I did share with Venator such reflections as the short walk allowed.
‘Mr Venator, there are wise and sensible men who believe we might solve the many ills of this world. But such men as profess to order their lives according to what the Bible commands do often only think and act according to their own beliefs and prejudices. Such men are also apt to suppose God despises those men of different religions or habits as they do despise. Puritan preachers, for you are to know their sermons are fiery and powerful, command belief from men like Mr Auceps. But such knowledge for the correct ordering of a man’s life they claim to possess is not arrived at by recourse to the faculty of reason and progressive argument. Instead they do claim, regardless of a man’s education, that studying the Scriptures will tell them how to order their lives. But scholars, preachers, even common folk among the Puritan faithful do squabble over what Scripture demands. Methinks little of their efforts to make this world a better place by their moral reformation, and less of it in asking honest men to quit their recreation. God did well enough in his design, and we do no cruelty to it when we go a-fishing.
‘We do not.’
‘I will tell you as I did last May as Dr Boteler said of strawberries; “Doubtless God could have made a better berry, but doubtless God never did”; and God never did make a more calm, quite, innocent recreation than angling.’
‘You speak the truth Mr Walton.’
‘I will tell you also Mr Venator, sitting by a quiet stream does invite a man to contemplation.’
‘Mr Walton, when speaking of contemplation last evening and did so capture my heart I would have you say more in commendation of it?’
‘Mr Venator, in adding to that already told you and Mr Philomath I would hope to leave you possessed with the same high and happy thoughts that now possess me. It is an art worthy the practice of all men. I will tell you also that contemplation is no idle thing; it is the difficulty of the labour we love and which men taking in finding truths. For truth, and the wooing and enjoying of it, is the sovereign good of human nature. We can none of us do without truth Sir.’
‘But Master, what if Truth is not to be had?’
‘It is to be had Sir, though it may be lost to a man and hard to find. But I will tell you, God breathed light into the senses of fishes, hounds and otters as well as men, but it was only in man did be breath the light of reason. It is a pleasure to stand upon a hill and see the stream below. But it is also a heaven on earth to have a man’s mind move in clarity and turn upon the poles of truth. But in saying more I might loose myself, so in all good manners would have you speak.’
‘Mr Walton, your commendation is calm and quiet and does raise the reputation of contemplation. But Sir I would urge you to wade deeper into these waters.’
‘Good Sir I will but venture some final observations concerning contemplation as I can manage with more pleasure and less fear of running into error. First, I will tell you that some men love a lie and make an art of deceit. Second, in passing from the philosophical to the civil, clear and round dealings is the honour of man’s nature and that the mixture of falsehoods in men’s beliefs are, as Bacon says, like alloy in coin, which make the metal work the better, it does all the same debase it.
Yet some men, for prejudice prepossess them, would surely ask what is to commend the finding of truths save bookish labours which induces sloth. In my reply to such a man I would say we anglers are not inclined to sloth as we wait for the fish to bite. Methinks, if we truly love our art, it too is the difficulty of the labour we love. Catch fish we must. But love as much the difficulty of the labour if we declare to love our chosen recreation. There are many obstacles to catching fish. To ask why we fish when all is set against us not catching them, is to not understand what it is to fish; it has to be difficult. ‘Tis only in quiet contemplation the angler makes the many observations of nature that refine his art and make the more pleasurable the recreation he declares to love. Thus I would say to such a man ‘tis the like concerning contemplation and of discovering the truths of nature’s many wonders.’
But such shallow philosophical contemplations impose too much upon your good nature Mr Venator.’
‘Nay Sir, speak as you will.’
‘Then I shall add to these preliminaries by saying of some anglers that it is the concentration on the unimportant that makes fishing a joyous recreation. I would cede the point in part. My eagerness to commend contemplation does cause me to almost lose myself in seriousness and make appear dull that which is not. ‘Tis true, when men’s minds are quiet they are not always so earnest and are apt to let their mind wander were pleasant and unbidden thoughts dictate. But this is not contemplation, ‘tis musing. It is only when men marshal and direct their thoughts that they contemplate.
I will say no more than wish men wiser and happier through study and contemplation. Yet methinks they will not.’
‘I think you right Mr Walton.’
‘Yet, in this the best possible world God could have created, he never did create a better recreation, or better employment of men’s minds than contemplation for in this men’s minds are eased, and their souls contented. But now my commendation is at its end. What say you on the matter who are so well disposed to angling and of such good nature and attentiveness?’
’Mr Walton, with all my heart I agree, there is no finer recreation than angling and no finer use for men’s minds than quiet contemplation.’
‘Then we have reached a happy accord. But let it be known we anglers are not inclined to sloth as we wait for a fish to bite. Catch fish we anglers must, but love as much the difficulty of the labour. Should any man ask why the angler fishes when all is set against him not catching, then he does not understand what it is to fish. I would say ‘tis the like concerning the pursuit of truth and content.’
‘So say I Mr Walton.’
‘Then let us go a-fishing.’
May 1656