I'm working on dyeing some wool for these flies using dyes of the Middle
Ages: weld, woad, madder, onion skins and gallnuts.
Bill
Dame Juliana Berner's 12 Flies
Tho't ya'll might enjoy this. JIMMY D
These are the twelve flies with which ye shall angle for the trout and
grayling; and dub them like ye will now hear me tell:
March
(1.)The dun fly the body of dun wool and the wings of the partridge. (2)
Another dun fly, the body of black wool; the wings of the blackest
drake; and the jay under the wing and under the tail.
April
(3)The stone fly, the body of black wool, and yellow under the wing and
under the tail; and the wings, of the drake. (4) In the beginning of
May, a good fly, the body of reddened wool and lapped about with black
silk; the wings, of the drake and the red capon's hackle.
May
(5) The yellow fly, the body of yellow wool; the wings of red cock
hackle and of the drake dyed yellow. (6) The black leaper, the body of
black wool and lapped about with the herl of the peacock's tail: and the
wings of the red capon with a blue head.
June
(7) The dun cut: the body of black wool, and a yellow stripe after
either side; the wings of the buzzard, bound on with barked hemp. (8)
The maure fly, the body of dusky wool, the wings of the blackest male of
the wild drake. (9) The tandy fly at St. William's Day, the body of
tandy wool; and the wings contrary either against the other, of the
whitest breast feathers of the wild drake.
July
(10) The wasp fly, the body of black wool and lapped about with yellow
thread: the wings of the buzzard. (11) The shell fly at St. Thomas' Day,
the body of green wool and lapped about with the herl of the peacock's
tail: wings of the buzzard.
August
(12) The drake fly, the body of black wool and lapped about with black
silk: wings of the breast feathers of the blackest drake, with a black
head.
