POMELED; spotted, from O. F. _pomelé_, spotted like an apple. The young of the roedeer are born with a reddish brown coat with white spots, which the "Master of Game" calls _pomeled_. This term was also frequently used in Ang.-N., O. F., and in the dog-Latin of our ancient records to describe a flea-bitten or dappled horse. "_His hakenei that was all pomeli gris_" (Strat.). "_Pommeli liardus, gris pommele, Uno equo liardo pomele_" (Obs. Ward. Acc. 28, Ed. I.). G. de F. does not use this word in describing the young of the roedeer, but says they are born "_eschaquettes_" (p. 40).
RACHES; _ratches_ or _racches_, a dog that hunts by scent. A.-S. _raecc_, a hound, and O. F. and Ang.-N. _brache_, _brachet_, _bracon_, _braquet_; Ger. _bracken_. Ang.-Lat., _brachetus_, _bracketus_.
Raches were scenting hounds hunting in a pack, later called "running hounds," and then simply hounds. Although raches or brachets are frequently mentioned in the O. F. and Ang.-N. metrical romances, and in various early documents, we have never found any description of them, but can only gather what they were from the uses they were put to. We find that the bracco was used by the early German tribes to track criminals, therefore they were scenting hounds. There is plenty of evidence that they were used for stag, wild boar, and buck hunting during the Middle Ages. They were coupled together and led by a _berner_ or _bracennier_ or _braconnier. Braconnier_ now means poacher, but this is only the later meaning; originally braconnier was the leader of the bracos, or huntsman (Daurel, p. 337; Bangert, p. 173; Dol. 9188).
We gather that these brachets of the early Middle Ages were small hounds, sometimes entirely white, but generally white with black markings. Sometimes they were mottled (_bracet mautré_). One description of a _braces corant_ says this hound was as white as a nut, with black ears, a black mark on the right flank, and flecked with black (Blancadin, 1271; Perc. 17,555, 22,585; Tristan M., 1475, 2261; Tyolet, 332).
In the early days in England we find that braches were used to hunt up such smaller game as was not unharboured or dislodged by the limer. Twici says: "_Sire, touz ceaus qe sunt enchaces, sunt meuz de lymer. E tous ceaus enquillez sunt trovez de brachez_" (_see_ Appendix: Acquillez), _i.e._ All beasts that are enchased are moved by a limer, and all those that are hunted up are found by braches (Twici, pp. 2, 12). Raches are mentioned in the "Boke of St. Albans" among the "_Dyvers manere of houndes_," and the apprentice to venery is told he should speak of "A mute of houndes, a kenell of rachys." He is also informed that the hart, the buck, and the boar should be started by a limer, and that all "other bestes that huntyd shall be sought for and found by Ratches so free." John Hardyng in his Chronicle, speaking of an inroad into Scotland by Edward IV., in whose reign he was yet living, said, "And take Kennetes and Ratches with you and seeke oute all the forest with houndes and hornes as Kynge Edwarde with the long shanks dide." In the "Squyer of Low degree" we read that the huntsman came with his bugles "and seven score raches at his rechase."