Who Had Hounds in Renaissance Society?
While the laws governing ownership of greyhounds were relaxed during the Renaissance to allow non-nobility to own greyhounds, it would not have been normal for a peasant to own one. In general, the owner of a sighthound was of the nobility, or was a wealthy merchant. These people, however, generally delegated the care of their hounds to hired help (peasants). Hunting with hounds was still reserved strictly to the nobility, though greyhounds were also favored by poachers. If you are playing the part of a peasant in a Renaissance Faire, you should refer to the hounds as “your lord’s” hounds. A noble character with a hound would refer to it as his/her “favored” hound, as a nobleman might have many dozens of hounds, and would only personally handle his most favored hounds. Highly favored hounds might live in the lord’s home.
