A second or subdiuision.

MOreouer, you shall know, that those nyne sortes of hawkes, may againe be deuided into two kyndes, and eyther diffe­ring from the other in condition.

For some of them do pray vpon the foule, by stouping down from their winges, and so seazing on the foule with their foote, doe breake in sunder with their beakes, the necke bone, beeing of [Page 4] more force and strength in that part, than in the foote or talons. And this sorte of Hawkes, do neuer vse to plume or tyre vppon the foul whom they haue seazed, vntill such time as they perceiue it to leaue busking and bating in the foote: of which kynde and qualitie are,

• 1 The Egle.
• 2 The Mylyon.
• 3 The Gerfalcon.
• 4 The Falcon.
• 5 The Merlyn.
• 6 The Hobbye.
• 7 The Matagasse.

Nowe that other sort which I speake of, do slay their praye and game by mayne force of wing, at randon and before head, not stowping at all from their wings, as the other hawkes doe, whom I made mention of before. And these hawkes haue their chiefe force and strength in the foote, and not in the beake, and therefore no soner do seaze vpon the pray, but presently they giue them selues to plume and tyre thereon. Of this sort are

• 1 The Gossehawke.
• 2 The Tiercle of the Gossehawke.
• 3 The Sparowhawke.

Thus farre haue I made a generall diuision of all kyndes of Hawkes that do liue by pray, & againe (as you see) haue deuided those kynds into two partes. Wherefore nowe do I purpose to deale more specially in the matter, and more particularly to pro­ceede to the natures of euerie of them, to yeelde you a more per­fect knowledge, and light therein.

Of the names of Hawkes of praye.

AL Hawkes and byrdes of pray, be comprysed, and included, vnder these two names.

• 1 Aetos. or,
• 2 Hierax.

which is to say,

• 1 Aquila. or,
• 2 Accipiter.

which is y ^e,

• 1 Eagle. or
• 2 Falcon.

[Page 5]These two kindes doe serue to flye the praye, for mans plea­sure and pastime, of which only hawkes, my purpose is to treate and speake in this discourse here following.

For all hawkes and byrdes of praye, do not serue the Falco­ners vse, but onely such as are hardie and free of mettall, able to flye the fielde and ryuer. And therefore those onely kyndes shall be the Subiect of my booke, and not those base, bastardly refuse hawkes, which are somewhat in name, and nothing in deede.

As the Greekes would, that Hierax, & the Latyns that Ac­cipiter, which is a speciall terme to one hawke and byrde of pray, shoulde giue the generall name and title to all Hawkes and byrdes of praye, bycause of his excellencie: So in like manner, the Frenchmen of our age, haue ordained that the Falcon, which is a terme peculiar and proper to one kinde of byrde of praye, shall giue generall name and appellation to all hawkes, and byrdes of praye, what so euer they bee, bycause the Falcon doth passe all other hawkes in boldnesse and curtesie, and is most fa­miliar to man, of all other byrdes of praye. And thereof it pro­ceedeth, that we say, the Falcon Gentle, the Haggart Falcon, the Falcon Sacre, and so likewise of the other hawkes, calling them all by the name of Falcon.

Moreouer, as the Falcon, whiche is a speciall name of one kynd of hawkes, hath giuen name to all other hawkes and birds of praye. So hath it bestowed the name and tytle of a Falco­ner, to euerie one of what state or calling soeuer hee bee, that doth deale with any kinde of Hawkes: and the terme of Falconrie, to the arte, profession, and knowledge of luring and manning those byrdes of praye, by which singular skyll, they are made to flee all other foules, as well those foules of ayre, as of the lande and ryuer. Whiche in my conceite, deserueth no slender commendation and prayse, being a matter almost quite against the lawes of nature and kynde, for one foule so artificially to vndertake and so cruelly to murther another, and hauing atchie­ued his enterprise, with greedie and willing minde, to repaire to man againe, hauing the whole scope of the heauens, and the circuite of the earth at their pleasure to range and peruse: and to [Page 6] yeelde them selues in such franke maner to the pryson and custo­die of man, being by kinde set free and at libertie to praye, and dispose them selues. Suche and so great is the singular skill of man, when by arte he is resolued, to alter the prescribed order of nature, which by industrie and payne we see is brought to passe and effect.

Of the kyndes of Eagles.

HAuing deuided all those byrdes of praye and rauine, whiche serue to Falconrie & Hawking, into Eagles and Falcons, I mean first of al to decypher you the Eagle and Vulture, whom some haue thought to be comprised vnder the kynd of an Eagle. And so consequently after that, to speake of Falcons which are byrdes of pray, seruing to the vse and mysterie of Hawking, and taking their names of the Falcon.

Aristotle was of opinion, that there was sixe kynds of Ea­gles, which are named by him, according as it pleased the inhabi­tantes of Greece to enforme him.

Plinie in making the same deuision of Eagles, hath varied in that poynt altogether from Aristotle, as touching the names and termes of Eagles, for that they were of diuers countries, and did write in seuerall languages. But for that I meane in this booke onely to speake of those kyndes of Eagles which serue to Falconrie, I will deale but with two sortes of Eagles, for at these dayes we haue the vse and experience but of the browne Eagle, whiche is the Eagle Royall, and the blacke Eagle, the other kyndes being of a base and slender courage, as no Falco­ner will payne him selfe to lure them, or manne them for vse or pleasure.

Nowe as touching the Vultures, and first of the large ashe coloured or blacke Vulture.

[Page 16]THere are two sortes of Vultures, to wit, the ashe mayld, or blacke Vulture, and the browne or whitish Vulture. First will I speake of the blacke or ashmaylde Vul­ture, who is in deede more huge than the browne, for the ashe-coloured Vulture is the most large byrde of praye that is to be founde, and the female Vulture more large than the male, euen as it falleth out by experience in all kyndes of byrdes of praye and rauyne.

The Greekes, they call the Vulture Gips, and the Latines Vulture.

This Hawke is a passenger in Egipt, more knowne by hir coate and case than otherwise, bycause the furryers doe vse their skynnes for stomackgers, to guard and defend the brest against the force of feruent colde.

All other byrdes of praye do differ from the Vulture, in that they are destitute and voyde of plumage vnder their winges, whereas the Vultures be there vested and couered with an ex­cellent fyne downe. Their skinne is thicke like a Goats skinne, and namely you shall finde vnder their gorge, a certayne patche of the breadth of your hande, where the plume is somewhat in­clining to a redde, like the haire of a Calf, for that kind of plume hath not a webbe fashioned, as other feathers are vsually shapte and proportioned, but are like vnto the downe which is to be founde on eyther side the necke, and on the vpper part of the plye and bent of the wyng, in which parts the down is so white, that it glistereth and is as soft as silke.

The Vultures haue this one poynt speciall, and peculiar to them selues, in that they are rough legged, a thing that hapneth not to any other kynd of Eagles or byrdes of praye.

Of the lesse Vulture, whiche is the browne or whitish Vulture.

[Page 18]THe browne or whitishe Vulture, doeth differ from the blacke maylde Vulture, in that hee is somewhat lesse, than the blacke Vulture is, hauing the plumage of hir throte or gorge, of hir backe, the fethers vnder the belly neare the pannell, and of the whole bodie tawnie, or browne of co­lour: but the brayle fethers, and of the trayne, like to those of the blacke maylde Vulture: whiche induceth some to thinke that there is no difference at all betwixte these twoo kindes, saue that the one is male, and that other female, in the same gender & kind. But this is most certaine & assured, that with Noble personages you shal see as wel the one kind as the o­ther. Eyther sort hath a short trayne in regard of y ^e largenesse of their wings, whiche is not the nature and shape of other birdes of rauine and praye, saue onely that fowle whome the Frenche terme ( Piscuerd,) the Italians, Pigozo, and in our mo­ther speache I may call the Woodwall.

You shal euer finde the Vultures rough, and heary legged, whiche is an euident signe that they frotte and rubbe them a­gaynste the rockes, where their chiefe abode and staye is. And further you shall note that the browne or blancke Vultures are more rare and dayntie to bee seene, than the blacke or ashemaylde bee.

Agayne this is peculiar to them in their kinde, that the fe­thers on their heades bee shorte in respect of the Eagles fe­thers, which hath bin some cause, that they haue bene thought to be balde and without plume, thoughe in verie deede it bee nothing so.

The Vulture that is ashecoloured or blacke maylde, hathe shorte armes all beset with plume, euen to the very Talons, whiche is a speciall note among all those birdes of rauine, on­ly peculiar to them, and not to any other fowle, hauing croo­ked Talōs, vnlesse it be the Owle, who is roughlegged, euen in sorte as these Vultures be.

To discerne the browne from y ^e ashemayled Vulture, you muste note, that the browne Vulture hath hir necke fethers very strayght & long, muche like to those that the Cocke hath [Page 19] or the Stare. In regard of those feathers on hir backe, sides, and the corner of the plye of hir wings, whiche are little and slender, in manner of scales, but the breaste feathers as also those on the backe, and the couert feathers of the trayne, are to the redde Vulture redde, and to the black Vulture blacke, and to bothe kindes verye large, by meane of their hugenesse they can not be vppon their wings, nor ryse from the stande without some aduauntage.

A man shall seldome see them vpō the playnes, and cham­pion of Italie, Almanie, and Fraunce, vnlesse happily some­time in the winter, for then they rangle and wander into e­uery parte, for at that tyme in chiefe they abandone and for­sake the toppes of the stately and high mountaines, to auoide the extremitie of cold, & doo take their passage into more hote regions and countries, where the clymate dothe better serue their purpose, and better agree with their nature.

The Vultures at the moste, doo not disclose aboue twoo or three chickens or yong birdes, and it is a very harde matter and almoste impossible for any man to robbe their eyrie, for that moste commonly they buyld in some hanging cliffe whe­ther there is very harde and daungerous accesse. They may bee nourished and fedde with tripes, offell, and inwardes of beastes. And bycause they doo vsuallye haunte the fieldes of purpose to deuoure the offell and refuse partes of suche beastes as men haue slaughtered and slayne, and suche like carrion, some men are of opinion, that they doe presage and betoken greate murther and bloudy spoyle of men that are in armes.

The opinion of William Tardiffe a Frencheman, concerning the diuision of birdes of praye, and other things woorthe the obseruation.

BIrdes of pray (sayeth he) which we vse in Falconrie, be of three kindes,

• The Eagle,
• The Falcon,
• The Goshawke.

[Page 20]Of Eagles there are two kindes, the one is absolutely cal­led the Eagle, the other Zimiech.

• Aquila,
• Zimiech.

A redde mayle in an Eagle, and deepe eyes, specially if the be bred in the west mountaines, (as is before sayd) is one spe­ciall signe of hir goodnesse.

Whitenesse vpon the head or backe of an Eagle, betokeneth the excellencie of the Eagle, whiche in the Arabian tongue is termed,

• Zimiach, in the Syrian language.
• [...], in the Greeke.
• Philadelph among the Latines.
• Mylyon.

The Eagle must euer be taken when she is in the eyrie, for hir condition is to waxe afterwards very bold & outrageous. It is sayde, that when the Eagle beginneth to growe to ly­king, neare cawking or calling time, she cōmonly flyeth with other Eagles, bearing with them to their stande where they vse to praye, a peece of Arsenicke, otherwise called Orpiment, whiche doth delay and mortifie their luste and desire.

The Eagle will seaze vpon the Goshawke and any other fowle of rauine, or pray y ^t doth flye with Iesses, making sure accompt that it is a fitte pray for hir. And for that only cause and none other, coueteth to apprehend and take them in their flight, for when they are wilde and ramage, vsing the deserts, she offereth them not any suche violence.

A meane to auoyde the Eagle, when a man is determined to flye with his hawke, is to plucke of the hawkes Iesses be­fore shee flye, for otherwise let hir do hir beste, shee shall not escape the Eagle.

That Eagle, which is the kindly and right Eagle in deede, will slaye the Hare, the Foxe, and suche like beastes of the Fo­rest and fielde.

The Eagle called Zimiech, will kill the Crane, and other lesse fowles.

A deuise and remedie for you, when the Eagle doth moleste and hinder your game in hawking.

Fynde the meanes to get an Eagle, and seele vp hir eyes, but yet in suche sorte, as shee may haue a little sighte to a­spire and clyme to hir mowntee, into whose tuell and fun­damente conueye a little Assa fetidà, and sowe vp the place. Then tye to hir legges, eyther a wing, a peece of fleshe, or a redde clothe, whiche the other Eagles maye coniecture to bee fleshe, and so lette hir flye. For then will shee in hir flyghte, for hir owne safetie and assuraunce, pull downe all the other Eagles from their stately gate and pitche, which otherwise she woulde neuer do, were it not for the payne of that whiche is conueyed into hir tuell.

Now will I laye you downe the report of Frauncis Sforzino Vicentino, an Italian, as tou­ching the diuision and nature of Eagles, and so proceede to the Falcon.

[Page 22]

THere are twoo sortes of Eagles, that is to saye, the huge & royall Eagle, whiche is the Haggart or Passenger.

And a lesse Eagle, whiche is a base and bastarde Eagle in respect of the other.

[Page 23]The ryghte Eagle is bredde in the hyghest clyues of Le­uante, and speciallye in those of Cyprus. They are as large as a wylde Goose, and more. Some of them are of a browne mayle, and some other of a spotted mayle, their gorges and breastes are full of straked lynes, tending to redde, they haue long heades, greate beakes, and very muche crookte, strong armes, and roughe large stretchers, in a manner as greate as the palme of a mans hande, boysteous talons, and a reasona­ble long trayne.

These Eagles, in the mayne fielde wyll take the Hare, and by force holde him, and carrye him in the ayre as they flee, vntyll they espye some rocke or other fitte stande, where they maye praye vppon him. In lyke sorte they take other beastes, and sundrye tymes doe roue and rangle abroade to beate and seaze on Gotes, Kyddes, and Fawnes. They are in vse and price with sundry noble men, as hath bene re­ported vnto mee credibly.

The greate Turke of all other Princes, doth moste vse to flee with the Eagle, and dothe gyue his Falconers in charge, to man and lure them, as they doe the Goshawke: and beeing throughly manned, hath a caste of Eagles at one tyme, v­pon one pearche betwixte twoo of his people into the fielde, when they are there, they flee bothe togither, the one at the mowntee, a very stately pitche, and the other more base and lowe, and that Eagle that dothe flye the base pitche, is taught to make a greate noyse as shee roueth too and fro, ouer the Foreste, not muche vnlike the questing or calling of a dogge, by meane of whiche sodayne crye and noyse, diuers tymes there issue out of the couerte, some wylde and sauage beasts, whiche are no sooner discryed by that high fleeing Eagle, but sodaynly she bateth of hir pitche, & stoupeth from hir wings, & at the downecome either seazeth or rifleth some one of them, slaying them by force, vntill the dogges maye make in to hir reskewe. And thus betwixt the Eagle and curres, the praye [Page 24] is taken not without the greate pleasure and lyking of that mightie Prince the Turke. You maye gesse of the excellencie of this gallante pastime, if it bee trewe, as it is vouched by report. Heerein I can affirme nothing of my selfe, but do fo­lowe mine authour, from whome I collected this kinde of hawking, and ambolde to make recytall of it in this place, bothe for the hugenesse of the fowle, as also the straungenesse of the practise.

All these kindes of Eagles, haue their Tyercelles or male birdes, of whome some huge, some of myddle syse, and other some lesse, whiche are called Bastarde Eagles, not had in a­ny accompte.

Thus (as you see) haue I layde downe to your vewe and iudgements, the kindes and sortes of Eagles, with their pro­per descriptions due to them, and other poyntes incident to their natures: and haue stayed more aboute the matter, than needed, in mine owne opinion, beeing a fowle so little in vse with vs, but I haue done it as well to make my diuision per­fectly, as also to decipher that, whiche euery one perhappes hath not read, as touching the naturall inclination of this royall birde, who for that shee is Queene and chiefe of all hawkes, deserueth some larger discourse than the reste, whiche are in nature more base, though in vse more familiar and ordinarie.

Of the Falcon, and how many sortes of Falcons there are.

THere are seauen kindes of Falcons, and among them all for hir noblesse & hardy courage, & withall the francknesse [Page 26] of hir mettell, I may, & do meane to place the Falcon Gentle in chiefe.

1 This Falcon is called the Falcon Gentle, for hir gentle and curteous condition and fashions. In hart and courage she is valiant, ventrous, strong, and good to brooke both heate and colde, as to whome there commeth no weather amisse at any time, whereas the most part of other Hawkes, eyther are lightlie offended with the one or the other, and muste haue a hand kept vpon them accordingly, or otherwise, there is no great pleasure to be taken in them.

The Haggart Falcon. 2 The seconde is the Haggart Falcon, whiche is otherwise tearmed the Peregrine Falcon. The Haggart is an excellent good byrd, but (as my Authour affirmeth) very choyce, and tē ­der to endure hard weather: but in mine owne conceyte she is in nature farre otherwise. And my reason is this, that shee should be better able to endure colde than the Falcon Gentle, bycause she dothe come from forayne partes a straunger, and a passenger, and doth winne all hir pray and meate at the har­dest by mayne wing, and doth ariue in those parts where she is taken when the fowles do come in greate flockes, whiche is the very hardest parte of the yeare. Moreouer being a whote Hawke by kinde, she shoulde the better sustayne the force of weather, and that shee is a whot Hawke of nature, may bee gathered by hir flying so high a pitche, which I take to be, for that in the higher parts, she findeth the colder ayre, for y ^e midle Region is more cold, than the rest, bycause thither commeth no reflexion. And agayne, shee meweth with more expedition (if she once begin to cast hir feathers) than the other Falcons do. But these poyntes of controuersie I leaue to the learned, and such as haue the experience of the matter.

The Barberie, or Tartaret Falcon. 3 The third is that Falcon which is called the Tartaret, or Barbary Falcon, whome they doe chiefly vse in Barbary, and [Page 27] most accompt of.

The Gerfalcon. 4 The fourth is the Gerfalcon, which is generall, and com­mon ynough, as well in Fraunce, as in other places.

The Sacre. 5 The fifte, is the Falcon Sacre.

The Laner. 6 The sixte, the Laner, common as well in Fraunce, as in other Regions.

The Tunician. 7 The seauenth is the Tunician Falcon. These seuē kinds of Falcons, are al hardie and good, according to the pray that belongeth to their force and nature. For they are diuers in nature, and of seuerall plumes, and besides that, disclosed and eyried in diuers countries. Wherefore, I meane to touche e­uery one of their natures, and to declare you, wherevnto eche is enclined, according as they are māned, and gouerned, and first of all I will treate of the Falcon Gentle.

But before I speake of the Falcon Gentle, I will some­what touch the Etimologie of the name, and lay downe the opinions of two learned men, and auncient writers as tou­ching that matter.

Firste Suidas a Greeke Authour dothe affirme that Falco which in our mother speach doth import a Falcon, is a gene­rall name to all Hawkes of pray and rauine, as Accipiter is in Latine, and [...] in Greeke.

Festus, he is of opinion, that the Falcon is so named, by­cause of hir pownces and crooked Talons, which do bend like vnto a syth, or sickle, which in Latine is called Falx.

But wherehence soeuer the name is deriued, this is moste assured, that of all other birds of pray, the Falcon is most ex­cellent and the very prince of all other Hawkes, both for hir goodnesse of wing, and great hardinesse and courage.

Of the Falcon gentle and hir propertie.

THe Falcon Gentle, by nature doth loue to flee the Hearon euery way, and is a very good Hearoner as well from hir [Page 29] wings at the downe come, as from the fiste, and aforehead, and will flee all other kindes of greater fowles, as those which are tearmed birdes of Paradise, fowles more large than the Hearon. Moreouer she is good to flee the shoueler a fowle like the Hearon, but somewhat lesse, the wilde Goose, and such o­ther like fowles, and therefore is excellente at the Riuer or Brooke. If you take the Falcon gentle an eyesse, you maye boldly flee the Crane with hir, but if she be not an eyesse, she wil neuer be so hardie as to venture on the Crane. And ther­fore being an eyesse, and neuer seing, nor knowing any other lesse fowle than the Crane. If you cast hir off to the Crane, she foorthwith thinketh it to be a fowle fitte for hir, and by meane thereof fleeth the Crane very well, and becommeth a very good Crane fleer, for Hawkes commonly proue eyther cowards, or hardie after that they are first quarred.

An Obseruation.

IF a man doe well, he shoulde neuer take the Falcons out of the eyrie, till time they be full summed, and hard penned, or if he do happily committe that errour, he should not man hir, but presentlie cause hir to be conueyed and placed in an ey­rie, that most doth resemble the eyrie of a Hawke, if he maye conueniently come by any such, and ther breede hir, and feede hir with good fleash, such as is the fleash of Pullets, Chickens, Pigeons, & such like, for otherwise hir wings will not grow to any perfection, and hir legges and other partes woulde quickly be broken and waxe crooked, and hir traine feathers, and for the most part, all hir long feathers and flagges be ful of taints.

The good shape of a Falcon.

THat you may the better make choyce of your Falcon, and know a good Falcon from a refuse, I will describe you the perfecte shape of a right good Falcon, suche a one as is very like to be good, though many times we see, that in proofe, the most likely things to shew, & to the eye, become in proofe, the worste and of least regard.

[Page 30]The shape of a good Falcon therefore is, first to haue wyde nares, high and large eyeliddes, a greate blacke eye, a rounde head somewhat full on the toppe, a shorte thicke beake blewe as azure, a reasonable highe necke, barbe feathers vnder the clappe of the beake, a good large breaste, rounde, fleshy, strong, harde, and stiffe bended. And that is the true cause, why the Falcon doth greatlye affye in hir breaste, and striketh with it, and gageth it moste at hir encounter. And by meane she is very strong armed, shee vseth the more freely also to stryke a fowle with hir pownces and talons. Moreouer she muste be broade shouldered, shee muste haue slender sayles, full sides, long and greate thighes, she must be strong and short armed, large footed, with the seare of the foote softe, and all one for hewe with the seare of the beake and nares, blacke pownces, long wings and crossing the trayne, whiche trayne ought to be short, and apte to bende and bowe to euery side. For in the trayne of a hauke doth consist a greate helpe, when she flyeth. And therefore (as well as for beautie) if a trayne feather or couert feather be broken, or brused, we do couet to ympe them agayne, or set them to right, bicause it may be the lesse hinde­raunce to the hawke in hir flighte.

You muste note that those verye Falcons, that are of one kinde and sort, haue very greate difference and oddes betwixt them, and are called by diuers names, according to the tyme that a man beginneth to deale with them, & doth vndertake them, according to the places where they haunte, and accor­ding to the countries whence they come.

They are diuided into Mewed hawkes, Rammage haw­kes, Sore hawkes, and Eyesses, into large hawkes, meane hawkes, and slender hawkes, all whiche are of diuers and se­uerall plumes and mayles, according to the diuersitie of the regions. Also they are of diuers prices, according to the good­nesse and estimation of them. Agayne, some are blacke Fal­cons, some russet Falcons, some other blancke Falcons: some of whiche are riuer Hawkes, to slaye the fowle at the brooke, and other some fielde hawkes, to flye the lande, and there to [Page 31] kill the Fesant, Partridge, and such like fowles. Thus you see howe diuers and many they be, according to their outwarde accidentes, & yet in nature, all Falcons. Therefore, bicause I am to treate of euery kinde seuerall, I will not longer holde you in this place, with description of the Falcon Gentle, but hereafter when I write in another place of the diseases, cures and the manning of these hawkes, I will as neare I may, let passe nothing, that shall belong in any respect vnto the Falcō, but that in one place or other you shall finde it.

Of the names of a Falcon, according to hirage and taking.

THe firste name and terme that they bestowe on a Fal­con, is an Eyesse, and this name dothe laste as long as she is in the eyrie, & for that she is taken from the eyrie.

Those Falcons are tedious, and do vse to crye very muche, in their feeding they are troublesome, and paynfull to bee en­tred: but beyng once well entred and quarred, they leaue a greate parte of that vice, and do proue very good to the Hea­ton, and to the ryuer, and all other kindes of fowle. They are hardy, and naturally full of good mettall.

2 The seconde name is a ramage Falcon, and so she is cal­led when she hath departed and left the eyrie, that name doth laste, and she is called a ramage hawke, May, Iune, Iulie, and August. These Falcons are harde to be māned by reason of the heate, and for that they can ill brooke hunger, or to stand emptie panneld: but who so can vse them with pacience and iudgemente, shall finde them passing good, for that they are without faulte.

3 Thirdlie they are called sore Hawkes, from the ende of August, to the laste of September, October, and Nouember.

Those hawkes are of good disposition, they will doe verye well, and are in their prime and full pryde for beawtie and goodnesse. Neuerthelesse those firste plumes that they haue, when they forsake the eyrie, those doe they keepe one whole [Page 32] yeare, before they cast or mew them, and that kind of feather, is called the Sore feather. According to the diuersitie of these tearmes, and times, these Hawkes do become better and bet­ter to be manned and kept.

4 The fourth speach and tearme that is bestowed on them (as my Italian Author doth call them) is, that they are tear­med Marzaroli, and so are they called from Ianuary, Febru­ary, Marche, Aprill, vntill the middest of May. I haue no pro­per englishe phrase for them, but they are very tedious and paynefull, and the reason is, for that they must be kept on the fiste al that space. Diuers of them are great baters, and ther­fore not very greedy of meate or hungrie, they are but badde Hawkes muche subiect to Filanders, and the wormes: who lookes to win credite or good by keeping them, must be of good experience and no lesse pacience.

5 Fiftly, they are called (Entermewers) or Hawkes of the first cote, that is from the middle of May, till Iune, Iuly, August, September, October, Nouember, December.

Those Hawkes are called Entermewers, for that they cast the old, and haue new feathers, and they proue very good, and hardie Hawkes, but no great trust is to be giuē them, for that they are giddy headed, and sickle: wherefore he that lookes to haue good, or credite by keeping of them, must be very circum­spect, and regarde their natures very well, and must keepe a good hard hande on them, and muste make his fiste theyr pearche, and neuer in a manner lette them bee from the fiste.

Besides, in those seuen kyndes of Falcons, whiche I spake of in the first deuision, there are included sundrie sortes tear­med according to the Countries and places where they are eyried and whence they come, the speciall names and pro­perties of all whiche, I holde it not so needefull to dis­course vppon, speaking fullie and sufficiently of those seauen kyndes of Falcons in theyr tymes and places, as they shall offer them selues in order vnto me to be deciphered vnto the Reader, to whose good iudgement and industrie I meane [Page 33] to referre and leaue sundry things whiche I leaue vnspoken of, for that there is no man that is desirous of skill, but, may with ease and will with diligence, (I doubt not) flee ouer to those ve­ry Authours in Frenche and Italian, from whence I haue made this briefe collection, where he shall be assured to fynde things more at large set out: but the effect (vnlesse I be decey­ued) comprysed in these fewe pages of paper, aswell concer­nyng the kyndes of Hawkes, as also their mannyng, luring, flightes, mewing, diseases and cures in euery condition, as (I trust) to the pleasure and profite of the gentle and willing reader. Wherfore I wil now proceede to the Haggart Falcon, a most excellent byrde, if hir nature and propertie be obserued in dewe maner.

Of the Haggart Falcon, and why she is called the Peregrine, or Haggart.

I Haue many times studied with my selfe, for what cause the Haggart Falcons, the most excellent byrdes of all other Fal­cons, haue bene termed Haggart or Peregrin Hawkes. And at first was of opinion that men so called them, for that they are brought vnto vs, from farre and forayne countries, and are in deede meere strangers in Italie, and (as a man may call them) trauaylers. And this I know for truth, they are not disclosed or eyred in Italie, and besides that there are few in Italie, that do take them at any time, but the greatest store of them are brought and conueyed thither from forayne regions· but if they shoulde be termed Peregrine or Haggart Falcons, for this onely cause, and onely in respect hereof and nothing else, then might we as well bestow that name also vpon all other Falcons, that are not bredde in Italie, as vpon the Tunician and other Hawkes that are passengers. Wherfore I am of opinion, that for three causes principally and in chiefe, they are called Haggart, or Peregrine Falcons.

1 First, bicause a man can not finde, nor euer yet did any man Christian or Heathen, fynde their eyrie in any Region, so as it [Page 34] may well be thought, that for that occasion they haue atchieued and gotten that name and terme of Peregrine or Haggart Fal­cons, as if a man, would call them Pilgrims or Forayners.

2 The second cause is, bycause these Falcons do rangle and wander more than any other sorte of Falcons are wonte to do, seeking out more straunge and vncouth coūtries, which in deede may giue them that title of Haggart and Peregrine Hawkes, for their excellencie, bycause they do seeke so many straunge and forayne coastes, and do rangle so far abrode.

3 The thirde and last cause, I do thinke, may be their beau­tie and excellencie, bycause this worde ( Peregrino) or Peregrine, doth many tymes importe an honorable and choyce matter, had in great regard: but it skilleth not muche whiche of these three alleged is the true cause, wee will not stande vpon the nyce poynt, for that a good Falconer, ought much more to regarde the searchyng out of the true nature and propertie of Hawkes, than to haue so great and speciall respect vnto their names and termes.

Wherefore I conclude, that these Haggart Falcons are not of Italie, but transported and brought thither from forayne pla­ces, as namely from Alexandria, Cyprus and Candie. And yet this is for certayne, that in Italie there are taken of these Hag­gart Falcons, as in the dominiō of the renowned Duke of Fer­rara, and in the countrie neare Rauenna, beyng brought thither by force of weather and winde. And by that meanes there are none of those Haggarts founde eyesses, but they are all eyther soare Hawkes, or mewed Haggarts.

Of shape and proportion they are like the other Falcons, and are of three sortes, as touchyng their making, and moulde, that is to say, large, little, or Falcons of a middle sise. Some of them are long shapte, some shorte trussed Falcons, some larger, some lesse.

They are ordinarily of foure mayles, eyther blancke, russet, browne, or turtle maylde, and some pure white maylde, with­out any iote or spotte of any other colour, but those a man shall ver seldome see. And for that cause I meane not to say much [Page 35] of that kinde of mayled Falcons, but will deale with suche as are more ordinarie in vse.

Of the Barbarie Falcon.

THe Barbarie or Tartaret Falcon, is a hawke not very cō ­mon in any countrie, and she is called a passenger or passe­bie, euen as the Haggart Falcon is.

[Page 40]They are not full so large as the Haggart Falcon, though some mē do write otherwise of them, they are red plumed vnder the wing, strong armed with long talons and stretchers. They are very ventrous vpon all kindes of fowles, and will flie at a­ny game that the Haggart doth. With this Tartarot, or Bar­barie Falcon, and the Haggart also, you may flee all Maye and Iune, for they are Hawkes, that are very slacke in mewyng at the first, but when they once beginne, they mew and shedde their feathers very faste.

Of the Gerfalcon.

[Page 42]THe Gerfalcon is a birde of great force, a verie fayre hawke, specially being mewed, shee is strong armed, shee hath large stretchers and singles, she is fierce and hardy of nature, by meane whereof she is the more difficult and harde to be reclaymed. A Gerfalcon will looke to haue a gentle hand kepte on hir, and hir keeper to be curteous and full of patience. The Gerfalcon is a gallant hawke to beholde, more huge than any other kynde of Falcon, hir eyes and hir head are lyke the Haggart Falcon. She hath a great bending beake, large nares, a mayle like vnto a Laner, verie long sayles, and sharpe poynted, a trayne muche like the Laner, a large foote, marble feared, blanke, russet, and browne plumed as other Falcons be, more beautifull to the eye than any other kynde of Falcon.

These kinde of hawkes are made to flee from the fiste to the Heron, Crane, Goose, Bustarde, and suche other like foules. When they are mewed, they doe verie much resemble the La­ner, they doe not chaunge the marble seare of the foote. Theyr Tiercels (whome we call Ierkyns) are had in great pryce, they are brought from Leuant, Cypres, Candy, and Alexandria by Merchantes.

The Gerfalcons by report, doe most commonly eyree in the partes of Prussia, and vpon the borders of Russia, and some of them come from the confines and mountaynes of Norway. But most commonly they are taken about Almayne Passebyes (as we terme them) or passengers.

With the Gerfalcon you maye naturally flee all kyndes of foules, as I haue alreadie written of the Haggart, and the Bar­barie Falcon.

Let it not discourage or amaze you, that the Gerfalcon is so harde to be reclaymed and manned, for the fiercenesse and har­dinesse of their nature is the onely cause thereof, but in the ende beyng once wonne, they proue excellent good hawkes.

They will sitte verie vpryght and stately on the fiste. Theyr beakes are blewe, and so are the seares of their legges and feete, their pounces and talons are verie long, and in troth, they will lightly refuse to flee at nothing.

[Page 43]At my beyng in Moscouia, I sawe sundrie Gerfalcons, verie fayre and huge hawkes, and of all other kyndes of haw­kes, that onely byrde is there had in accompte and regarde, and is of greater price than any other. The reason whereof I lear­ned of certayne Englishe Merchauntes my countrey menne, who tolde me, that the Emperours Maiestie Iuan Vazil­niche, did vse to flee the Rauen with a cast of Gerfalcons, and tooke no slender pleasure and delight therein.

The Rauen truely is a monstrous strong flight, by meane she is of so great force and wight of wing, and withall doth vse to make so many turnes in the ayre, as you shall see no other foule do the like. Yet neuerthelesse, as they told me, they had seene a cast of Gerfalcons beate hir in such wise, as she hath bene forced to take the stande, and to pearche in a Pyne or Fyrre tree for hir succour and safetie. But that shifte little preuayles, for no sooner is she pearched, but presently by commaundement of the Emperoure, eache Muscouite drawing his hatchet from his backe (without which tooke they neuer trauell in that countrey) bestoweth his force to the felling the tree, which is lightly doone by meane of many handes, and the tendernesse of the tymber, the hawkes all that whyle lying vpon their winges looking for their game: who finding the tree to fayle hir, at the fall is dry­uen to trust hir winges agayne, and so by a freshe flight and newe encounter, doth yeelde exceeding pleasure to his Maiestie and such as are in the fielde, and in fyne, is slayne by hir mightie aduersaries the Gerfalcons, who most greedily doe seaze vpon hir, as their kynde hath taught them to doe. I imagine the flight to be verie strong, and truely the pastime and pleasure can not be small, but a game fit for such a mightie Prince as his Maie­stie is. Thus much of the Gerfalcon.

Of the Sacre.

THere be three kindes of Sacres, the first is called Sephe, after the Babylonians and Assyrians, that kynde of Sacre is [Page 44] founde in Egypt, and in the weast partes, and in Babylon. She will slay the Hare and such like.

The seconde kynde is called Semy, she kylles the Choughe, as hir proper game wherein she taken the greatest pleasure.

The thyrde is called Hynair or the Peleryn Sacre, after the Egyptians and Assyrians.

She is called a Peleryn or Haggart, for that hir eyree is not knowne, and bycause yearely she maketh hir passage towardes Iudea, or Media, she is taken in the Iles of Leuant, Cypres, Candye, and Rhodes. And therefore some thinke she commeth out of Russia, and Tartaria, and also from the greate Sea. That Sacre that is taken an entermewer, is the best hawke,

The Sacre is of all hawkes the most laboursome, and best able to brooke hir flight. Shee is also peacible and verie tracta­ble, and a hawke that can best away with course and grosse diet.

The praye of the Sacre are greate foules, the Heron, the Goose, the Crane, Bytor, and withall the small beastes of the fielde and forest.

It is well to be sene, that the Sacre is a hawk somwhat lar­ger than the Haggart falcon, of a rustie and ragged plume like the Kyte, the seare of hir beake & foote like the Laner, hir poūces but short, neuerthelesse, she is of great force, & hardie to all kynd of foule, as I haue alreadie reported of the Haggart and Barba­rie Falcons, but not so ventrous and free to flee the Crane, or such like game as the Haggart Falcon is.

This Sacre is a passenger, euen as the haggart Falcon is. No man is able truly to say, where she eireeth or discloseth, but at the Rhodes they say they come from the parts of Russia, and Tartaria, and the Ocean Sea. These Sacres are taken in great number in the Iles of Leuant, Candle, Cypres, and Rhodes, & sundry other Ilandes of the Ocean sea. But I must needs con­fesse to you, that the Sacre is more disposed to the fielde a great deale than to the brooke. As to flee the wilde Goose, the Byttor, the Feasant, the Partridge, and all such like foules. And is no­thing so daintie of hir dyet, or to be kepte, as the long winged hawkes are.

[Page 45]The Sacre is much like the Falcon Gentle for largenesse, and the Haggart for hardinesse, and is a passenger as the Hag­garte is.

She is a Hawke chiefly to flee the kite, and yet may be made and manned, to flee the field, and slay other game of the field as the Falcon doth.

The Noble men that take pleasure in the Sacre, to make a flight with hyr at the kite, do vse this order and deuice, to bring the kite downe from hir mountee, for that in the heate of the day she doth vse to sore and flee of an exceding height in the cloudes, to take the comforte of the colde and freshe ayre, that is in the middle region: They tie a foxe tayle to the legge of a Mallard or Ducke, whom they cause to be borne on the fiste of some one Falconer, and do so let the ducke flee in the middest of a playne, whom as sone as the kite descries from hir pitche, she presently bateth of hir gate, and maketh hyr stoupyng to the grounde, and there gazeth and wōdreth at the straungenesse and the shape of this fowle; then do they cast of the Sacre to the kyte, who forth­with trusting to the goodnesse of hyr wing, getteth vp to hyr pitche, as hie as possible she may, by making often turnes and wrenches in the ayre, where it is a very pleasant sporte to behold the bickring that is betwixt them in the ayre, specially if it be in a playne, where no trees or groues are, to hinder the sight of the matter, and the day fayre and not windie, for then will the Kite and Sacre sore so hie, as they will flee cleane out of sight. But that serueth not the Kytes purpose and turne, for the Sacre ne­uerthelesse doth conquere hyr in the encounter, beating hyr to the grounde by meane of the sundrie stoupings and downe comes that she maketh vpon hyr.

They flee with the Sacre at twoo sortes of Kytes, that is, to the Kite royall, which is called by the Frenche man, the ( Mylan Royall) and at one other kinde of Kyte, called the Blacke Kyte, (the Mylan Noyer) whiche is farre the more nimble byrde of the twoo, and doth more busilie trouble the Hauke in hyr flight than the other doth, by meane she is the lesse of the twoo, and vseth hyr wings farre better. Of al Hawkes, this kind of Hawke hath the [Page 46] longest trayne. We call the Tyercell of the Sacre, the Sacret, which is the male bird, and the Sacre the female, betwixt whom there is no oddes more than in the quantitie and proportion. For cōmonly among birds of pray, the male is lesse than the female. The Sacre is called in Latine Buteo, and the Sacret Subuter.

Of the Laner.

[Page 47]THe Laner is a hawke common in all countries, specially in Fraunce and other places elsewhere, for voluntarily she maketh hyr eyree, and buildeth in high trees and Fo­restes, and commonly in Crowes nestes or in the high rockes & clyffes neare the sea, according as the coūtrie is for the purpose.

The Haggart is somewhat lesse than the Falcon gentle, faire plumed when she is an entermewer, but of shorter talons than any other kynde of Falcon. And some holde opinion that those Laners that haue the largest and best seasoned heades, and the seare of y ^e foote azure or blewish, be the eyesses or soare hawkes, they are the best and choysest Laners.

With this hawke may you flye the ryuer, as well with the Laner as the Laneret, for they are both good, and likewise maye you vse them to other kindes of flightes, and specially to the fielde to kyll the Partridge, the Feasant, the Hare, the Choffe, the Dawe, and al such sort of lesser foule.

The Laner is not ouer daintie of hir feeding, but can better brooke grosse and course vittailes, than any Falcon else can doe.

Mewed Laners and Sacres, are hardely knowne from the soare hawkes, bycause they do not chaūge their plume. By these three signes you shall best know the Laner.

They are more blanke hawkes than any other, they haue lesse beakes than the rest, and are lesse armed and pounced than other Falcons be.

Of the Tunician Falcon.

THe Tunician is a Falcon euen muche of the nature of a La­ner, yet somewhat lesse than the Laner, but verie like hyr in plume and foote, alwayes more sluggish and heauie in hir flight, [Page 50] and yet more creese than the Laner, and she hath a large rounde heade.

Of the Merlyn.

THere is a kynde of Falcon that is called a Merlyn. These Merlyns are very much like the Haggart falcon in plume, in seare of the foote, in beake and talons. So as there seemeth to be no oddes or difference at al betwixt them, saue onely in the big­nesse, for she hath like demeanure, like plume, and very like con­ditions to the Falcon, and in hir kind is of like courage, & there-must be kept as choycely and as daintily as the Falcon.

Assuredly diuers of these Merlyns become passing good haw­kes [Page 52] and verie skilfull, their propertie by nature is to kyll Thrus­shes, Larkes, and Partridges. They flee with greater fiercenesse and more hotely than any other hawke of praye. They are of greater pleasure, and full of courage, but a mā must make grea­ter care, and take good heede to them, for they are such busie and vnruly things with their beaks, as diuers times they eate of their owne feete and talons verie vnnaturally, so as they dye of it. And this is the reason and true cause, that sildome or neuer shall you see a mewed or entermewed Merlyn. For that in the mewe they do spoyle themselues, as I haue before declared.

My Italyan Author hath these words, both of the shape and in commendation of the Merlyn.

The Merlyn is (sayth he) of the shape of a Falcon, lesse than the Sparowhawke, more nimble and wight of wing than any other hawke, she doth kyll all such game and pray as the Spa­rowhawke doth vse to slay, specially small byrds, namely Larks, Sparowes, and such like, all which she doth pursue with excee­ding crueltie and courage.

She is reported to be a hawke of the fiste and not of the lure, albeit a man may if he will, make hir to the lure also. She is a verie ventrous hawke and hardie: by this we may coniecture it: For though she be little bigger than a Piegon, yet notwithstan­ding, she will hazard hir selfe to flee the Partridge, the Quayle, and such other like foules, more large than hir selfe, and wil pur­sue them in so cruell maner, as sundry times she followeth them, euen to the villages & townes, whether the silly birdes do flee for ayde and rescue, from their naturall foe the hawke.

The Merlin is the only hawke of al others in whom (as mine Author affirmeth) there is no difference betwixt the male and fe­male, but yet by experience we finde it otherwise, for the female is y ^e larger bird of the two, and more big than y ^e other in sight.

Some are of opinion, that Lydos, Hierax, in greeke, and Leuis accipiter in Latin, is our Merlyn of whome we speake, and that those birdes of praye whome Aristotle termeth ( Leues) to our iudgement shuld be the Merlyns, bicause they are the lesse haw­kes of all others that are to be founde.

Of the Hobbye.

OF all birdes of praye that belong to the Falconers vse, I know none lesse than the Hobbye vnlesse it be the Merlyn.

The Hobbye is a hawke of the lure, and not of the fist: also she is of the number of those hawkes that are hye fleeing and towre hawkes, as the Falcon, the Laner, and the Sacre be. If a man be disposed to describe the Hobbye, he can not do better, nor deale more artificially, than to matche hir for shape with the Sacre. [Page 54] For in good fayth there is but small difference or inequalitie be­twixt them, saue that the Sacre is farre the huger byrde.

The propertie of the Hobbie in all countries and regions, where they are eyreed, or otherwise brought is to soare and flee vpon the hountesmen and Falconers, and so to follow them verie watchfully, to the ende that when they spring or put vp any smal byrdes, she may sloupe from hir winges, and seaze on them as on hir pray. And this is so ordinary a hawke, and the practise that I speake of so generall, as there is not the simplest bowre or pea­sant but doth know it. I can make no fitter nor more apte com­parison, than to resemble the frye and small fish of the sea, being had in chase by the huger sort of fish desirous to deuour them: to the small foules and birds of the ayre, pursued by the Hobbye.

For as sone as the silly fishe that is chased by the Delphin and such like, do perceiue their safetie to be nothing in the Element of water, where, by God and nature they are alotted to liue, eftsone haue they their recourse to the ayre to saue them selues, chosing rather to lye at the mercie of the rauening sea foules, soaring vp­on the water, than to yeelde them selues in pray to their naturall aduersaries the fish. Euen so the Hobbies perceiuing the huntes­men or Falconers in the field so hunt the poore Leueret, or flee y ^e Partridge, do forthwith accompanie them, soring vpon them, in hope to encounter some one smal bird or other, whom y ^e hounds or spanels shal by fortune put vp, and spring by ranging y ^e field. Then the Larkes and such like small foules, whose nature is not to braunch or take the tree, but altogither to liue vpon y ^e groūd, finding themselues pursued by the hounds and spanels, to begile thē, are enforst to trust to their wings, and to take the ayre, & be­ing there, finding thēselues molested by y ^e Falconers & Hobbies, do make their choyce and election to become a pray rather to the dogs, or seeke mercy among the horse legges, and so to be sur­prised aliue, than to affie in the curtesie of the cruell Hobbies, and to be taken in their cruell talons, where they are most assured to dye the death.

The Hobby is so nimble and wight of wing, that she dares encounter the Crowe, and to giue souse for souse, and blowe for [Page 55] blowe with him in the ayre.

This is a naturall and speciall tricke that she dothe vse, es­pying the Falconers in the field she doth followe them, and at­tende on them, but it is but for a certaine space, as though in ve­rie deede she had hyr lymites and boundes prescribed hir, and appoynted howe farre she shoulde flee. For as sone as she lea­ueth them, she presently scoureth along the syde of some groue or highe woode, where she dothe ordinarily vse to pearch and take the stande.

The Hobbye hath a blew beake, but the seare of hir beake and legges is yellowe. The crynet or little blacke feathers vnder hyr eyes be verie blacke, so as moste commonly they continue and proceede from the beake to the temples or eare burres, and in like manner, is there an other blacke streake that descendeth to eyther side of hir gorge. As touching the top of the heade, it is betwixt blacke and yellowe, but hath two whyte seames vp­on the necke. The plumes vnder the gorge and about the browes, are reddishe, without spot or droppe. The plumes vn­der the bellie (or as I may best terme them) the breast feathers, are broune for the most parte, and yet poudered with whyte spottes, as Ermynes. All the backe, the trayne and the wyngs are blacke aloft, she hath no great scales vpon hir legges, vnlesse it be a fewe that beginne behinde the three stretchers and poun­cies, which are verie large in respect of hir short legges. Hir bra­yle feathers are engouted twixte red and blacke. The pen­dant feathers (which are those behinde the thigh) are of a rustie and smokie vernish complexion. When a man seeth hir sore aloft in the ayre, he wil iudge hir vnder the wings, that hir plu­mage and downe, as well of hir winges as betwixt hir legges, is russet and reddishe mayled.

There are two foules, wherof the one is called ( Ian le blancke) which I take to be the Harrohen or capped Kyte, and the other ( Blanch queue) the ring tayle, who doe alwayes flee with hir for company, beating and sousing the Larkes, and if happily they spye the Hobbye encountering the Larke, whome they put and force so hir winges, it is a pleasure to behold the game [Page 56] that is betwixt this cast of bussardes and the hawke. For their desire and intent is to bereaue the sillye Hobbye hir praye: but shee being nimble and wight of wing, encountreth with them, entercepting the Larke from them, manger their might and sundrie times they buckle so together, as you shall see them come tūbling down both yfeare, one fast griping & seazed on the other.

Some would haue that this Hobby of whom I write, should be that byrde whome Aristotle calleth Hipotriorchis, and the Latines Subuteo: but I am not of that mynde, but that it should rather be the Sacret whome Aristotle doth meane. But let the learned reader iudge the controuersie, I am to lay downe their natures and properties, and not to decyde any matter of con­trouersie which in deede doth belong to the curious Falconer, and not to him that doth imbrace more the sporte, than the di­uersitie and oddes of speache, which in euerie arte a man shall be assured to fynde. Let it suffice if I gyue the Reader to vn­derstande the nature of euerie hawke nowe adayes in vse, and withall (according to my promise and meaning) doe let him knowe the meane to flye with them bothe the fyelde and brooke, as also to doe hym to witte, howe to Mewe, Ympe, and cure them beyng diseased. These are the speciall poynts, and such as deserue thankes from me, and commendation from him. I will proceede in the description of the nature of this hawke, ac­cording to the opinion of the Italian.

Of the Goshawke, after the opinion of VVilliam Tardiff a Frenchman.

Of the Sparovvhawke out of the french Authors.

[Page 69]I Wil now write somewhat of the Sparhawke, for that she is in hir kynde, and for that game that hir strength will giue hir leaue to kill, a very good Hawke, and much vsed in Fraunce, And besides, he that knowes well how to man, reclayme, and flee with the Sparhawke, may easely know how to keepe, and deale with all other Hawkes. More­ouer it is a Hawke, that serues both winter and somer, with great pleasure, and the game that she fleeth is ordinarie, and common to be had, and she will generally flee at all kynde of game, more than y ^e Falcon, or than any other kind of Hawke will. And the winter Sparhawke, if she proue good, will kill the Pye, the Iaye, the chough, the Woodcocke, the Thrush, the blacke Birde, the Veylfare, and sundry other sortes of byrdes.

Of the Matagasse.

THough the Matagasse be a Hawke of none accompte, or price, neyther with vs in any vse, yet neuerthelesse, for that in my deuision I made recitall of hir name, according to the French Author, from whence, I collected sundrie of those poynts and documents, appertayning to Falconrie: I thinke it not beside my purpose, briefly to describe heere vnto you, though I must needes confesse, that where the Hawke is to so slender value, the definition, or rather description of hir na­ture and name must be thought of no great regard.

The shape of hir is this.

She is beaked and headded like the Falcon, hir plume is of two colours, hir brest white, hir eye, beake, and foote blacke, a long blacke trayne, hir flagges and long fethers partly black, and white, and the coloure of those fethers she chaungeth not, though she mewe neuer so ofte.

[Page 73]Hir feeding is vpon Rattes, Squirrells, and Lisards, and sometimes vpon certaine birdes she doth vse to praye, whome she doth intrappe and deceyue by flyght, for this is hir deuise.

She will stand at pearche vpon some tree or poste, and there make an exceeding lamentable crye, and exclamation, suche as birdes are wonte to do, beeing wronged, or in hazarde of mischiefe, and all to make other fowles beleeue & thinke that shee is verye muche distressed, and standes needefull of ayde, wherevpon the credulous sellie birdes do flocke togither pre­sently at hir call and voyce, at what time if any happen to ap­proche neare hir, she out of hande seazeth on them, and deuou­reth them, (vngratefull subtill fowle) in requitall of their sim­plicitie and paynes.

These hawkes are in no accompt with vs, but poore simple fellowes and peasantes sometimes do make them to the fiste, and beeyng reclaymed after their vnskilfull manner, do beare them hooded, as Falconers doe their other kindes of hawkes whome they make to greater purposes.

Heere I ende of this fowle, bicause I neither accompte hir worthe the name of a hawke, in whome there resteth no va­lour or hardinesse, ne yet deseruing to haue any more written of hir propertie and nature, more than that shee was in mine Authour specified, as a member of my deuision, and there re­puted in the number of long winged hawkes. For truely it is not the propertie of any other hawke, by suche deuise and co­wardly wile to come by their praye, but they loue to winne it by mayne force of wings at randon, as the rounde wynged hawkes do, or by free stowping as the hawkes of the Tower do moste commonly vse, as the Falcon, Gerfalcon, Sacre, Merlyn, and suche like, whiche do lye vpon their wing, roding in the aire, and ruffe the fowle, or kill it at the encounter.

I cannot saye, that at any time I haue seene this kinde of hawke, neyther in any booke read of hir nature and dispositi­on, as I haue here made mention of it, saue onely in my au­thur, who writing of Falconrie, was so bolde as to rancke hir [Page 74] among other hawkes, of greater accompt and valewe, and in Gesner, where hee treateth of all kinde of birdes and fowles, where, I remember wel, I haue read of the name and nature of the Matagasse, and there haue seene hir proportion & shape sette downe in coloures, suche as I haue before declared you in this chapter. and, in my iudgemente, no oddes or difference to bee founde, betwixt Gesnerus description, and mine authors, in that behalfe. (∵)

Certayne speciall poyntes, necessarie for a Falconer, or Ostreger, collected out of the Italian Author.

Hauing made you sufficient shewe in the former part of this booke, and collectiō, of all kinds of haw­kes seruing to Falconrie, it shall not be a­misse to deli­uer you some speciall & ne­cessarie rules, due to a good Falconer.

Firste, it is behooueful for a Falconer to bee very dili­gent & inqui­sitiue to learn and marke the qualitye and mettell of his hawkes, & to knowe whiche hawke he shal [Page 76] flee withall earely, and with whiche late, bycause all hawkes are not disposed or mettelde alike. Wherefore, the firste and speciall obseruation is, to note the naturall inclination and disposition of his hawkes in that behalfe.

Then nexte is it necessarie for him to bee fonde ouer his hawke, pattēt, & withall carefull to keepe hir cleane out of lise, mytes, and all suche other diseases, as I shall hereafter treate of in the latter parte of this collection, with suche remedies, as I shall laye downe for euery griefe. And of the twoo, hee must rather keepe his hawke hye, and full of fleshe, than poore and lowe. Besides that, this is one generall rule, whiche by experience you shall finde to bee most true, that all kindes of hawkes are more subiect to infirmities, being poore and lowe, than when they are lustie and full in fleshe.

Euery night, after he hath fleen with his hawke the daye, either at the fielde, or brooke, he muste giue his hawke casting, somewhyles plumage, some other while pellets of Cotton, or suche like, and agayne, sometimes some one medicine or other, according as by hir casting, or mewte, he shall perceyue hir to stande needefull thereof, whiche poynte I will more at large describe, in another place proper and peculiar to that matter.

Euery night, hee muste not forgette to make the place very cleane vnder the pearche, so as he may bothe finde the casting of his hawke, and be certainly assured whither she hath alrea­dy caste or not, whereby he may the better iudge and discerne hir state. For by the casting is founde, whither the hawke do neede eyther vpwarde, or downward scowrings, or stones, or any suche like remedie.

He muste remember euery euening to tye out his hawke a weathering, saue onely in suche dayes, as she hath bathed be­fore, for bycause then the taking ouermuche moysture, wyll breede hir a thousande euills and inconueniences. For suche euenings as she hath bathed the daye, shee ought of right to be placed in some warme chamber on a pearche, with a candle burning by hir, where she must sit vnhooded, if so she be gentle, [Page 77] and not rammage, to the ende she may tricke hir selfe, and re­ioyce by enoyling hir after the water, before she flee againe.

Euery morning earely he muste not forgette to set hir out to wether hir, where if shee haue not alreadie caste, shee may caste, and there keepe hir hooded, till suche tyme as shee go to the fielde.

In feeding his hawke, he muste beware of giuing hir twoo sortes of meate at one time, to gorge hir withall, neither must hee gyue hir suche fleshe, as hath any euill sauour, and is not sweete, but muste respecte to allowe hir holsome meates, for breeding ill diseases. For Hawkes are dayntie birdes, in their kinde, and the more to be considered of, when they are in hande, vnder a Falconers keeping and vsage, bycause they were wonte to praye for themselues at libertie, and therein followe suche lawe and order, as nature had prescribed them, but being restrayned, the course of kinde is quite altered in them, and therfore the greater arte and regard to be vsed for them. Arte must supplie the restraintes of kinde, by cunning.

He muste beware, if happily he haue occasion of necessarie busines, at his departure from home, not to leaue his hawke tyed on a pearche of any greate heyght from the grounde, for feare of bating & hanging by the heeles, for then either will she caste hir gorge, or otherwise spoyle hir selfe: but she muste be placed on a lowe blocke, or stone, and if there be mo hawkes than one, they muste be sundred so farre one from the other, as they maye not approche or reache one the other, neyther with beake, talons, or otherwise, bicause their nature is to byte, and buckle togither, if they come within reache.

When he addresseth him to make his flighte with his Fal­con, it is behoouefull for him to haue all hir fellow Falconers, or such as haue hawkes in the field, to set downe their hawkes on the grounde, to be in the more readinesse to assiste him in his purpose, and to tye them sure, for feare of ill accidents that may befall them.

And againe, at the ryuer, he must skilfull to lande his fowle [Page 78] so placing the residue of his company, and their hawkes, as they may flee eke without any encounter, which is not onely the losse of the fowle, and hinderance to their sporte, but also the ruine and spoyle of their hawkes on both partes. He must be carefull that his hawke keepe hir gate, and flee it good, so as in no wise hee plucke hir not downe, nor make hir bate of hir pitche.

He muste alwayes be assured to haue mummy in powder in his bagge in a readinesse, whatsoeuer should happen, with suche other medicines as I shall hereafter treate of, for that it may so fall out, as his hawke may receyue a broose at the en­counter of a fowle. Moreouer he muste not be vnfurnished of Aloes washt, Cloues, Nutmugges, Saffron, casting, cryance, and suche like necessarie implementes. And he must remember that his Aloes be shining and cleare, for then is it of the beste sorte of Aloes.

Lastely he muste be able to make his lures, hooddes, of all sortes, Iesses, bucts, & other nedefull furniture for his hawke, and must not be without store therof to allow his betters and states in the fielde, if happily they want any suche deuises. He cannot well be without his coping yrons, to cope his hawkes beake if it be ouergrowen, whiche will be a hinderance to hir feeding, and to cope hir pownces and talons, if neede be. He muste haue his cauterizing buttons, and other yron or siluer tooles, to cauterize or burne his hawkes if cause require suche cure. For hauing all these necessaries, and doing as I haue & will tell you, all his game shall succeede and sorte wel, & he be assured for y ^e most part of good pastime in y ^e fielde, when other ignorāt gromes shal both lacke sport, & loose their hawkes, the greatest corsie y ^t may happen to a gentleman y ^t loues y ^e game.

Let these fewe aduertisementes and instructions suffice in this place, if other wynts necessarie not recited here, be remē ­bred at the full in any other parte of this booke, I craue but thankes for my paines, & curtesie at the Falconers handes, for whose learning and pleasure I partly and chiefly wrote this collection.

The first instruction is, how to make a Falcon and other hawkes fleeing, after the opinion of Ian de Franchiers.

FIrst, let your hawke be taken on the fiste, and hoodded, then let hir be watched three dayes and nightes, before you vn­hoode hir, and feede hir alwayes hooded in an easie rufter hoode. At the ende of three dayes you may vnhoode hir, and feede hir vnhooded, and when she is fedde, hoode hir againe, so that she be not vnhooded (but whē you feede hir) vntil she know hir meate: then when she beginneth to be acquainted with you, hoode hir and vnhood hir oftentimes, to the end she may the better abide the hoode. But vse hir gently, and be pacient with hir at the first, and to the ende your hawke may be the better manned, & the sooner reclaimed, you shall do wel to beare hir cōmonly in places where most people do frequēt, and where most exercises are vsed. And when she is well manned, make hir come a lit­tle to the fiste for hir meate. And when you haue shewed hir the perche or stocke, and tyed hir vpon it, put with hir vpon the sayde pearche or stocke some Pullet, or other quicke fowle as often as you may, and let hir feede thereon at pleasure vntill she be reasonably gorged, and do in like maner vpō the lewer vntill she knowe it perfectly. Afterwardes you may giue hir more libertie, and lewer hir with a cryance, lewring hir twice a daye further and further of. And when shee is throughly lewred, you shall teache hir to flee vpon you, vntill she know bothe howe to get to hir gate, and to flee rownde vpon you. Then shall you caste hir oute some quicke fowle, and when shee hath stowped and seazed vpon it, you shall suffer hir to plume it and to foote it at hir pleasure, giuing hir a reasona­ble gorge theron, as is before sayde, and continewing alwaies to rewarde hir vpon the sayde lewer, in such sort, that she neuer finde the lewer without some rewarde tyed vpon it, and by [Page 80] that meanes shee will alwayes loue the lewer and hir keeper well, and will not lightly rangle or be loste. Thus you may continue hir fortie dayes, or thereaboutes, and then you may flee with hir safe ynough. But before you so doo, lette hir bee skowred and bathed, and fedde with cleane meate, and well washed, gyuing hir casting euery nyght, euen as men vse to giue fleing hawkes.

The manner of fleyng with hawkes, as well to the fielde as to the Ryuer, and firste to the Ryuer, according as Martine teacheth.

YOu must vnderstande that the ryuer hawke ought to be let into the winde, and aboue hir praye to gette the vauntage of hir gate, and to be at hir pitche: then shall you make in to­wardes the praye. And when they are gotte vp to their full pitche, runne vpon the fowle, and lande them, laying them out from of the water, and if you fayle in doyng therof, then you shoulde take downe your hawke with some pullete, Pigeon. or other quicke fowle, to teache, and the better to winne suche hawkes as are but lately entred, vntill they knowe their praye and their fleing perfectly. (∵)

To flye at the Hearon according to Martine.

[Page 82]THere is another manner of fleing whiche is called the flight at the Hearon, this is the noblest flight of all o­thers. For the Hawke oughte to bee well lewred and well trayned to get vp to an high gate, and therewithall shee must well know a quicke fowle, and such a Falcon as is apte to flee, the Hearon shoulde not bee flowen with, to any other kind of fowle but onely to the Hearon most commonly. For asmuch as amongst all other flights, there is no suche moun­tey made, nor suche force vsed as in the flight at the Hearon, and therefore reason would that such Falcons should not bee flowen withall or inured to any meaner or lesse pray than the Hearon. For if a Hawke be a good Hearoner, it is sufficiente, and if after your Hawke haue flowen the Hearon, you should let hir flee any other sleighter fowle or pray, She will lightly (by your owne default) become a slugge and take disdayne, in suche sort that (where before she was a good Hearoner) shee will be so no more, and will turne to hir owne ease, so that she will neuer care to flee the Hearon. For asmuche as shee will giue hir selfe to pray vppon fowle that is more easy to reach, and will forget or forslow hir valiant hardinesse, the whiche is much to be lamēted if a man haue once a good Hea­roner, and do so spill hir. Neuerthelesse you may flee with the Sacre all maner of fowle more easely than with any other kind of Hawke, bycause she is alike common to all fowle, e­uen so is she hard to be made, and of a hard and dull capaci­tie, but despaire not therefore, for in the end they proue good if the Falconer take suche paynes with them as he ought to doe.

For the flight to the field as Master Amé Cassian teacheth.

SOme kinde of Hawkes there bee whiche are made for the field. For asmuche as there be some men which delight more to haue Hawkes for the field than for the riuer, the Hawkes [Page 83] which are good to flee the field, are first entred by the Spani­els, and aswell accustomed to knowe them by the heare and proportion, as they know their pray by the feather and flight, and secondarily they are also entred by customary know­ledge of their pray, and therefore it is not lightly possible that this kind of pastime shoulde bee perfectly handled, vnlesse the dogges and Hawkes be so well aquainted and knowen one to the other, that each of them do loue others, for although na­turally the Hawke be hardly entred to become familiar with the dogges, and will not lightly nor at the first loue them, yet maruayle you not thereat, for in the end all field Hawkes will loue them, and become familiar with them, but to bring that to passe, you must continually beare your Hawke amongst Spanyels, and aquaint hir with them, that she may the bet­ter abide them, and that beeing done, the oftner that youre Hawke flee the field, the truer you shall finde mine opinion: & surely you may easely haue good Hawkes to the field, if you keepe them in good order and diet as reason requireth, giuing them vpon their first, second, and third pray, a reasonable good gorge, and afterwards you may withdraw and abate youre reward by little and little, to make your Hawke the easlyer forget it, for by that meanes you shall make youre Hawke knowe hir liue fowle the better, if you rewarde hir with the head and braynes of the fowle taken, and so of euery one which she shall slay, vntil you would giue hir a gorge, at time and houre conuenient, and by that meanes, you maye haue a good field Hawke vnlesse the fault be your owne.

Other flights to the field called great flights.

THere is yet another kynde of flight to the field which is called the great flight, as to the Cranes, wilde Geese, Bustarde, Bird of Paradise, Bittors, Shouelers, [Page 84] Hearons, and many other suche lyke, and these you maye flee from the fiste, whiche is properly tearmed the Source. Neuerthelesse in this kinde of Hawking whiche is called the greate flighte, the Falcons or other Hawkes cannot well accomplish their flight, at the Crane, Bustard or suche lyke, vnlesse they haue the help of some Spanyell or suche dogge, well inured and taught for that purpose with your Hawke. For asmuch as great flights require pleasant ayde and assi­stance, yea and that with great diligence.

Aduertisement giuen by Master Martine to make a Hawke bolde and hardy, and to loue hir pray.

IF you woulde haue your Hawke hardy, keepe hir often­times all day long vpon your fiste, and feede hir with Pul­lets flesh earely in the morning asmuch as shall be sufficient for a beaching, that done set hir abroade in the Sunne, with water before hir, to the end she may bathe when she will, and bowze, as naturally they are enclined to do, and it doth them singular great pleasure, for bowzing may oftentimes preserue them from sicknesse, and yet sometimes a Hawke bowzeth after some disease whereof she hath long languished, and di­eth, or else she is thereby recured: for after such a disease, bow­zing doth eyther cure hir or quite dispatch hir. Nowe when you haue done as is before sayde (whether she bathe or not) you shall take your Hawke vppon your fiste, and so keepe hir on the fiste vntill you go to bedde, and when you go to bedde set a candle before hir, whiche maye last all the night, and in the morning (if she did bath) you shall set hir in the Sunne for one houre vntill she be well wetherd, and then afterwards (if she did not bathe) take wine and water, and therewith be­spout hir well with your mouth three houres after, setting hir in the Sunne agayne, and (for lacke of Sunneshyne) [Page 85] before the fire, vntill she bee very well dried, and if you bee well assured that she is throughly enseamed cleane, and hathe bin well manned by the space of thirty or fortie dayes, then maye you flee the fielde with hir, and if you perceiue that she haue good desire to flee, let hir flee, and if she kil any thing, giue hir a good gorge therevpon, but if she kill nothing, then feede hir with the legge or the wing of an Henne or a Pul­let, washed in cleane running water, keeping hir still vppon the fiste as is before sayde: and the next day flee with hir a­gayne, and if she kill any thing, giue hir hir rewarde, and keepe hir in this order vntill she be perfectly entred and quar­red: but then you must haue discretion, for sometimes by thys order you may bring hir lowe, in suche sorte that she shoulde not easely be recouered to make hir flight strongly. Yet Mar­tine sayth the contrary, but if an Hawke be very harde and stubborne to hir keeper in hir flight, then let hir be well spow­ted agayne with luke warme water, and so set abroade all night in the open ayre. In the morning let hir be set eyther in the Sunne or before the fyre, where when shee hathe well proyned hir you maye goe flee with hir, and if she kill and flee well, then keepe hir in thys order and tune, for else she maye take sundrie euill toyes. And thys precepte serueth as well for them that desire to haue good Hawkes for the fielde as otherwise: and if you woulde haue your Hawkes loue theyr pray, take Cynamon and Sugercandie, of each a lyke quantitie, and make thereof a powder, and when youre Hawke hathe kylled anye thyng, and that you come to reward hir, sprinkle some of that powder vpon the parte wherewith you rewarde hir, and it shall make hir loue that kynde of pray the better euer afterwardes.

How a man should vse an Eyasse Hawke.

IF you haue Eyasse Hawkes, you shall feede them moste with Pultrie, Beefe, or Gotes fleshe: and thys is done to keepe them from ill toyes: and when they be well lewred and trayned, then beare them vppon the fiste hooded, and ordred in all poyntes according to the rule prescribed before in the fyrste Chapiter, and after xxx. or xl. dayes past, bring them to the flighte, and the first, seconde, and thirde flight, you maye bee fonde ouer them, abating your fauor after­wardes by little and little, vntill they bee brought in per­fect tune, spowting them oftentimes with wine and wa­ter. For (as Martine sayeth) some Eyasse Hawkes wyll not muche bathe them. Neuerthelesse you ought therein al­so to vse discretion, for by often bathing or spowting, you maye bring youre Hawke very lowe, in suche sort that shee shoulde haue more neede of a good gorge, than of ba­thing, or spowting, and especiallye suche Hawkes as are fierce of nature, and wyll not often bathe of them­selues.

A consideration of the diuersitie of Hawkes natures, accor­ding to Martine.

THere are some sortes of Falcons whyche haue thys diuer­sitie of nature, that some of thē well flye well beyng high and full of fleshe, and some other flee best when they are kept lowe. Wherefore a Falconer should haue especiall con­sideration therevnto, for Falcons are fitte for all flightes, as is before sayde, but the blanke Falcons are of one nature, and the blewe Falcons of another, and the Falcon of the red­dish plume hathe also hir properties diuers from the rest. [Page 87] Neuerthelesse to speake as I haue founde, of all other Hawkes the blancke Falcon is beste. And bothe by rea­son and experience I fynde that shee would be kepte high­er and in better plight than other Hawkes, for you shall see the blancke Falcon keeping a lyke hand vppon hir and other Falcons proue higher and in better plight when shee is fleeyng than any other Hawke. And the reason is, bycause shee is very gentle, and with more ease manned than any other kynde of Falcon, and loueth hir keeper better, so that thereby shee keepeth hirselfe higher and in better plighte than suche Hawkes, as bate muche and are frowarde of condition. (∵)

Howe to seele a Sparowhauke and to make hir fleing according to Guillam Tardif.

A Sparowhawke newly taken should be thus vsed, take a needle thredded with vntwisted threde, and (casting your Hawke) take hir by the beake and put the needle through hir eye lidde, not right againste the sight of the eye, [Page 89] but somewhat nearer to the beake, bicause she may see backe­wardes. And you muste take good heede, that you hurt not the webbe, whiche is vnder the eyelydde, or on the inside thereof. Then put your needle also through that other eyelydde, draw­ing the endes of the thredde togither, tye them ouer the beake, not with a streight knotte, but cut off the thredes endes neare to the knotte, and twiste them togither in suche sorte, that the eyeliddes may be raysed so vpwardes, that the hawke maye not see at all, and when the threade shall waxe loose or vnty­ed, then the hawke may see somewhat backwardes, whiche is the cause that the thredde is put nearer to the beake. For a Sparowhawke should see somwhat backewards, and a Fal­con forwards. The reason is, that if the Sparowhawke shold see forewardes, she would beate of hir feathers, or breake them when she bateth vpon the fiste, & seeing the company of men, or suche like, she would bate to muche.

But to trimme your Sparowhawke in hir rightes, shee must haue Iesses of lether, the whiche muste haue knottes at the ende, and they shoulde be halfe a foote long, or thereabout, at the leaste a shaftmete betwene the hose of the Iesse, and the knotte at the ende, whereby you tye the hawke.

She should also haue twoo good belles, whereby she may be the better hearde. For commonly when a Sparowhawke ta­keth any praye, she will carry it into some thicke bushe to feede thereon, in suche sorte, that she cannot lightly be eyther hearde or seene, and whiles she plumeth it, the plumage doeth often­times couer bothe hir eyes, or one of them, then to take awaye the saide plumage, she straineth with one of hir feete, and ther­by hir belles discouer hir. Therefore if shee had but one bell, she might happen to scratte with that foote whiche lacketh the bell, and so shoulde not be hearde. The Sparowhawkes which are wonted to be hooded, and whiche will gently brooke it, are muche better than they which will not be hooded. For they bate lesse, and are with more ease borne in the rayne, or any euill weather. For beeing hooded, the Falconer may hyde and couer [Page 90] them with his cloke, which he cannot do to the other. Further­more they shall be able to flee better and more strongly, that are good weather hawkes, for they shall be lesse brused, than a hawke whiche is not hooded, whiche will weary hir selfe with bating, & withall a man may the better flee with thē at aduan­tage, bicause they bate not, but onely when you woulde haue them to flee, whereby they haue the greater courage, and also a man may beare them in all places, without bating or bea­ting themselues out of breath.

Hovve a man shoulde manne a Spa­rowhavvke, and make hir fleing.

FOr as muche as Sparowhawkes are of sundrye sortes of plumes, and sundry shapes and proportions, there are also sundry manners of manning them and making them, & there is muche lesse paynes to bee taken with some one, than with some other. For the more eager and sharper sette that a Spa­rowhawke is, the sooner shall you winne hir, and man hir.

Firste, to winne hir to feede, rubbe hir feete with warme fleshe, chirping and whistling to hir, and sometimes present the fleshe vnto hir beake, and if she will not yet feede, rubbe hir feete with a quicke birde, and the birde will crye, and if the Sparowhawke doe seaze it with hir feete, it is a token that she will feede. Then teare off the skinne and feathers of the birdes breaste, and offer it to the hawkes beake, and shee wyll taste thereof. For a Sparowhawke whiche feedeth immedi­ately after she be taken, doth shewe that she is eager, and hath good appetite. And you may giue hir as muche more at eue­ning, yea and sometimes in the daye time, so that she be not gorged firste, but that she haue put ouer hir meate. When she is thus well entred, and will feede when you chirpe or whi­stle to hir, then may you hoode hir with an hoode that is large [Page 91] and deepe ynough, so that it neither hurte nor touche hir eies, When she will indure to be hooded and vnhooded, without ba­ting, and that she will feede hooded, then must you abate hir meales, giuing hir lesse meate, and feede hir betimes in the morning, when she hath endewed, (that is to say, when shee shall haue put ouer hir meate, so as there remayneth nothing in hir gorge) then may you giue hir a beaching in the daye tyme, taking off, and putting on agayne hir hoode, to make hir the more eager. For it will not bee amisse, to gyue hir a bitte or twoo of meate euery time that you hoode hir. When it is euening, then suppe hir vp, giuing hir the heade or braines of a Henne or Pullette, vntill the morning. And if you per­ceyue that shee is becomme very eager, then loose the threade wherewith shee is seeled, but lette it bee nyghte firste, and that shee haue seene backewardes, as before sayde. If shee maye abyde companie, yet watche hir all that nighte that you vnseele hir, to the ende shee may also bee accusto­med to heare people speake, and bee acquaynted with them, and when you hoode hir agayne, giue hir twoo or three bittes of meate. In the morning betimes, put a birde in hir foote, whome if shee seaze hardily, and plume thereon eagerly, then may you boldely take off hir hoode, but if shee bate then, hoode hir agayne, and watche hir vntill shee bee tho­rowly wonne and manned: but if she feede well before com­panie, and become familiar and quyete before them, watche hir no loger, but keepe hir on the fiste some parte of the nighte amongest companie, making hir to plume, giuing hir nowe and then a bytte or twoo of fleshe, and putting hir hoode on and off therewithall. When you go to bedde, sette your hawke neare to your beddes headde, vpon some trestle or stoole, that you may wake hir often in the nighte. Then rise before daye, and take hir vpon your fiste, and off with hir hoode, that shee may see the people about hir, and when shee beholdeth them, put a quicke birde in hir foote, as before sayd. When she feedeth thervpon, hoode hir againe, giuing hir [Page 92] the reste of your bird hooded, and when it is further forth day, you may looke whether shee haue any thing in hir gorge, or not. If she haue nothing aboue, giue hir some little beaching, and beache hir oftentimes before companie, hooding and vn­hooding hir. But at night she shoulde be alwayes vnhooded, that shee may see people, & become acquainted with them, gi­uing hir to feede of a Hen or Pullet. To heale y ^e places wher she was seeled, to the ende she may see the better, when y ^u goest to bedde, holde hir in a darke corner, and spirte a little water vpon hir heade, that she may frote hir eyes agaynst the pyni­ons of hir wings. Then in the morning when she perceyueth the daye light, and hath warme meate readie vpon your fiste, and is cleane loosed that shee maye see bothe before and be­hinde hir, and seemeth to be familiar and bolde amongst peo­ple, then may you make hir as before sayde. But remember that you giue hir no plumage that daye, in whiche you haue giuen hir washt meate, yea and allowe hir no plumage vntil she be well manned. For vntill she be throughly manned, she will not dare to caste. Then if you woulde throughly man your Sparowhawke, and keepe hir eagre, take hir earely in the morning vpon your fiste, and go into some place where no body shall interrupt you, where firste cause hir to plume with hir beake vpon some quicke birde, then vnseaze hir, and set hir vpon some thing, and reache hir your hande, and shew hir your siste, giuing hir a bitte or two thereof. And if she come there­vnto willingly, then call hir agayne morning and euening, further and further of, but euer before company, to acquaynt hir the better with them, fastning a long line or cryance vnto hir limmes: if it be faire weather, and that the Sunne shine, you shoulde then proffer hir the water, to the ende shee maye bathe hir. Prouided alwayes in so doing that she be sounde, well manned, and that she be not poore, nor gorged. For ba­thing is a thing whiche maketh a hawke familiar and lustie, But remember y ^t alwayes after she haue bathed, you giue hir some lyue birde to feede on, and alwayes when you call hir [Page 93] or feede hir, you muste chirpe with your mouth, or whistle, to the ende she may becomme acquainted with your whistle, and come therevnto. You must feede hir amongst horses & dogges, to make hir also the better acquainted with them. If she haue flowen, and you woulde sette hir in the Sunne to weather, sette hir vpon the ground on some coodgell or truncheon, ma­king hir faste, and she will alwayes loue the better to sitte v­pon the grounde. After she hath bathed, if you perceyue your Sparowhawke lustie, you maye flee with hir the nexte daye towardes the euening, but firste you muste haue reclaymed hir to come out of a tree, and called hir to you sitting on horse backe, being alwaies prouided of some Pigeon, or other quick thing, to take hir downe the more easily. For before a man flee with a Sparowhawke, she shoulde be throughly well re­claimed, by watching, carying, feeding, and pluming before people, that shee loue hir keepers fiste, and his countenaunce, that she can abyde both horses and dogges, that she be cleane within, as well skowred with washt meate, as also with plu­mage, and thaf shee bee sharpe sette, and well com­ming, as well from the pearche, as from of the grounde, or out of a tree. (∵)

The meane to make a Sparowhawke fleeing.

FIrste, hee that woulde flee with a Sparowhawke lately reclaymed, muste flee in an euening somewhat before Sunnesette: For at that tyme shee will bee moste eager and sharpest sette. Secondarily, the heate of the Sunne (if one shoulde flee in the morning) doeth muche trouble the hawke, [Page 95] and rayseth and stirreth hir courage, making hir prowde and ramage. So that she leeseth the eagernesse of hir appetite, and remembreth it not, thinking on nothing else but to soare and gadde abroade, whereby she may be easily loste. Furthermore, towardes the euening she cānot soare so far away from you, (although she should soare) as she would do in the heate of the daye, bycause the night will enforce hir to go to the perche and stande. Also to enter your Sparowhawke, it shall be beste to seeke out some champaygne countrie, farre from the wooddes, and let hir be vnhooded when the Spaniels be vncoupled, then if the Partridge spring, and she bate, cast hir off, if they spring neare you. And if she kill, reward hir (vpon the grounde) of the heade, braynes, necke, and breaste of the Partridge. When she hath fedde, take it from hir, and vnseaze hir, and gette vpon your horse a good waye from hir. Then whistle and call hir, and if shee come vnto you, rewarde hir better. Aboue all things, you muste take good heede that she fayle not hir firste flyghte at greate birdes, leaste shee turne tayle, and accustome hir selfe to smaller game. But if shee bee once well entred at great game, you may quickly make hir flee Larkes and small birdes. If you finde that she haue most minde to flee Larkes, lette hir flee them, and rewarde hir on them. For there is no flyghte pleasaunter than the flyghte of the Sparowhawke at the Larke. And for as muche as the fleshe and bloude of Larkes is hotte and burning, it shall bee good when you flee the Larke, to gyue your hawke washte meate twyce in a weeke, and plumage very often. But gyue hir no plumage that daye that shee hath washte meate, nor the daye that she batheth. When there is a knotte of good companie mette togither, and euery man hath his Sparowhawke, if one of thē see his Sparowhawke flee whē another is also from the fiste, there beginneth the pastime, & yet they may flee togither. But it is a pleasure to take a Larke lowring, or clyming. Or if a Sparowhawke haue beatē downe a Larke, or that y ^e Larke be [Page 96] slipte from hir, This flight is not vsed in Englande, neither did I euer heare of it before. and gotten vp towring as hyghe as a man maye beholde, and then an other Sparowhawke clime after hir, get so high that by often taynting hir, so as the Larke is constrayned to stowpe to the grounde, and the hawke in the tayle of hir. Then the Larke had rather flee for succoure betweene the legges of the men and the horses, than to fall in the tallauntes of hir naturall enimie: yet commonly shee is there taken also. Hee that woulde learne to make a Falcon well, lette him beginne with a Hobbie, and hee that woulde make the Gerfalcon flying, let him acquaynte himselfe with the Merlyne. But hee that can keepe and make a Sparow­hawke well, shall also be able to keepe a Goshawke, for by the one that other is learned.

To take lyme from of a hawkes feathers.

TO remoue the lyme from a hawke, take dry and fine sande and cleane ashes mingled togither, put them vppon the place whiche is lymed, and suffer it so one nyght. Afterwarde you shall beate well togither three yolkes of egges, and with a feather you shall laye them vpon the sayde places, and suf­fer thē so twoo nights. Then take as much larde as a plumme. and as muche butter with it, melt them bothe togither, and a­noynte the sayde places, and suffer the hawke so one other nyght. Then on the morrowe washe hir with warme water, and wype hir with a cleane lynnen clothe, vntyll you haue wyped of all the lyme, whiche by this deuise will easily bee remooued.

Howe to ryght and make strayght brused feathers.

YF you woulde make sounde a brused feather, then temper y ^t place which is brused, in warm water, & whē the webbe [Page 97] thereof is well softened, and becomme tender with the hotte water, sette it as euen as you can out of the water. After­wardes take a greate stalke of a Colewoorte, and warme it well vpon the coales, or in the flame: then cleaue it in sun­der, and within the clyfte put the brused feather, strayning the twoo sides of the Colewoorte stalke togither, vntyll it haue broughte the brused feather into his former estate. The stalke of the herbe called Brionie, hath the same vertue.

To right and mende a feather broken on the one side, and to ympe a broosed feather.

TAke a slender long needle, laye it in Vineager, or salte water, that it maye ruste and so holde the better within the feather: Afterwardes threade it with vntwisted threade, and drawe it through bothe endes of the brused places, then draw it backe by the threade, vntill it may draw that one part to that other, so as the webbe may bee close ioyned togither: and suffer not your hawke to flee, nor to vse hir wings, vntill it bee closed and strong agayne. But if it were broken on bothe sydes, cutte it off, and take a square ymping nee­dle, like vnto a Glouers needle, laye it in Vineager and salte water, and thruste it into bothe the endes of the webbe, vntill you haue brought them togither: then giue your hawke reste vntill the needle bee rusted in that webbe. For a feather that is broken or brused within the quyll, take another quill that is lesser, that it may go into the broken or brused quyll, then cutte off the feather in that place, and the stalke of the quyll beeing put into the olde quill, force the ende of the fea­ther into the newe quill that is cutte: Afterwardes ioyne to­gither the twoo peeces, with the quill that is so put in, coue­ring the place where it is so ioyned, with Cotton or small downe feathers, with glewe or Semonde, or if you woulde [Page 98] not ympe it, glewe it in with Semonde or Rosen and waxe molten togither. If the feather bee dropte away cleane, then put in another of like syze and colour. For to bynde in a fea­ther that were slipped out of the pynion, take flexe small chop­ped, and myngled with the yolke of an egge well beaten, put them togither vppon a lynnen clothe, whiche is very neare worne, with the whiche you shall bynde on bothe sides the place where the feather slypped, or else anoynt that place with Myrre and Goates bloude myngled togither. To make a feather come agayne, whiche is caste and loste by bruse or o­therwise, and especially in the trayne of an hawke, take oyle of Walnuttes, and oyle of Bayes, as muche of that one as that other, myngle them togither, and droppe them into the place where the feather grewe, and it shall put out a newe feather speedely. (∵)

Howe to beare and make a Falcon.

[Page 100] A Falcon lately taken, shoulde bee seeled in suche sorte, that when the seeling beginnes to slacken, the Falcon maye see forwardes, to see the meate before hir. For shee is better content when shee seeth the meate plainely before hir, than if shee sawe it sidewayes, or looking backe. And shee shoulde not bee seeled too strayght, neyther yet oughte the threede wherewith shee is seeled, be ouerstreyght bownde or knitte aboue hir heade, but twysted and twyrled togythers. A hawke newly taken, shoulde haue newe furniture, as newe Iesses, Leasse, and Bewettes, all of good leather, and the Iesses mayled, and the Lease made with a button at the end. The muste you haue a little rownde stycke hanging in a little string, with the whiche you shall oftentymes stroke and handle your Falcon. For the more shee is handled, the bet­ter shee wyll bee manned, and becomme the gentler, and the more familiar: and also if you shoulde stroke or handle hir with your hande, you myght chaunce to catche a knappe of hir beake nowe and then. She must haue twoo good belles, to the ende she may the better be founde and hearde, when she stirreth or scratteth. She muste haue a hoode of good leather, well made and fashioned, well raysed and bossed agaynst hir eyes, deepe, and yet streyght ynough beneathe, that it may the better abyde on hir heade, and yet neuer hurte hir. So must you also a little cope hir beake, and tallans, but not so muche that you make them bleede.

Howe you shall manne a Falcon, and bring hir out of hir ra­magenesse.

SOme saye, that the soare Falcon whiche hath bene tymely taken, & hath already passed the seas, is both the best Falcō, & also the hardest to be wonne & māned. Wherfore obseruing the order which is before rehearsed, you must feede such a Falcō w ^t good & warm metes (as pigeōs, & such like quick birds) vntil [Page 101] she be full gorged twice a daye for three dayes. For you must not breake hir of hir accustomed dyet all at once, and bee­yng lately taken, shee will more willingly feede on warme meates, than any thing else. When you feede hir, you muste whoope and lewre as you do when you call a hawke, that shee maye knowe when you wyll gyue hir meate. You muste vnhoode hir gently, gyuing hir twoo or three byttes, and putting on hir hoode agayne, you muste giue hir as muche more. But take heede that shee bee well and close seeled, three dayes beeyng passed, if you perceiue hir to bee eager and greedie of meate, and that she fee­deth with good appetite, then begynne to abate hir hir meate, that is to saye, gyue hir but lyttle at once, and often, so that shee haue not muche aboue at one time, vntill it bee euening, and beare hir late vpon your fiste before you go to bedde, setting hir vpon a trestle or stoole ve­ry neare you, so that you maye wake hir often in the nyghte. Afterwardes you shoulde take hir on your fiste a­gayne before daye, with some quycke birde or suche like meate: and when you haue obserued this order with hir twoo or three nyghtes, and that you perceyue she beginnes to bee muche better fellowe than shee was wonte, and that shee seemeth to beginne to bee reclaymed, and fee­deth eagerly vpon good meate, then beginne to chaunge hir dyete, gyuing hir often, and little at ones, the harte of an Hogge or a Sheepe. In the euening when it be­ginnes to bee late, (without casting of hir) lette hir see­ling threade a little loose, spowting water on hir face, that shee maye Ieouke the lesse, and watching hir all the nyght, holde hir vpon your fiste vnhooded. But if she see any thing that muslike hir, and make semblaunte to bee afearde, then lette hir bee carryed into some darke place, where you haue no more but lyght to hoode hir agayne. And afterwardes gyue hir some beaching of good meate, and lette hir bee watched diuers nyghtes togither, vntill [Page 102] shee bee reclaimed and Ieouke vpon the fiste by daye time, al­though to lette hir Ieouke also sometimes in the nighte, is a thing whiche maketh hir the sooner manned. In the morning by breake of the daye, lette hir haue some warme meate to beginne with. And bicause there bee sundrie Falcons of sun­dry sortes and conditions, (as some mewed at large in the wooddes, some other taken at stande, where they haue long vsed, and some other taken soare hawkes, (whereof we now treate) whither they bee Sorehawkes, mewed or Ny­asse, yet are they of sundrye natures and properties, and therefore they muste bee diuersly gouerned and entred, which is the cause that it is harde to giue generall rules. For those whiche are gentle, easie to bee reclaymed, and of a good kinde and nature, ought also to bee the more fauoured, and the more gently handled. But when your hawke is broughte to the poynte before rehearsed, as well for the hooding, as also for hir eagernesse to feede, if you per­ceyue that shee beginne to bee acquaynted therewith, you maye vnhoode hir by daye time, farre from company, firste gyuing hir a bytte or twoo of good meate. Afterwardes hoode hir agayne gently, gyuing hir a little meate againe hooded. Aboue all things, you muste beware to hoode or vnhoode hir in any place, where shee maye bee frayed, for that were able to marre hir at the firste. When shee be­ginneth to bee acquaynted with companie, if you per­ceyue that shee bee eager or sharpe sette, vnhoode hir, and giue hir a bitte or twoo of meate, holding hir right againste your face and countenaunce. For that will cause hir to dreade no companie. And when it is night, cutte the thredde wher­with shee is seeled, and you shall not neede to watche hir, if you perceyue hir bolde ynough amongest companie. But yet lette hir bee sette vpon a trestle by you, that you may awake hir twoo or three times in the nighte, and take hir on your fiste before daye. For ouerwatching of a hawke is not good, as long as a man may reclayme hir otherwise. [Page 103] And if by suche good gouernmente, and by dealing curte­ousely with hir, and keeping hir from sodayne feare, you perceyue that shee beginne to bee acquaynted with you, and to knowe you assuredly, and that shee feedeth eager­ly, and sticketh to hir meate before companie, then giue hir washte meate, and beache hir in the morning, so that shee maye alwaies haue somewhat in hir gorge: whiche meate you shall laye in cleare water halfe a daye, and you shall cause hir to feede in companie, giuing hir in the morning aboute Sunne rising the wing of a Henne or Pullette, and at euening, hooding hir againe, take the foote of a Conie or an Hare, whiche is cutte off aboue the ioynte, and flaye it, stripping awaye the clawes also, and temper and steepe the skinne in faire water, (pres­sing and wringing it a little) the whiche you shall giue hir with the ioynte of the pynion of a Hennes wing. You muste take good heede, howe you giue your hawke any fea­thers, vntill shee bee throughly reclaimed. For vntill shee bee throughly wonne and reclaymed, shee dares not caste vpon the fiste. And on the fiste you muste beare hir conti­nually, till shee bee throughly manned. But when shee makes semblante to caste, vnhoode hir gently by the tassell of the hoode. You maye giue hir two dayes washte meate, and the thirde daye plumage, according as shee is cleane or fowle within. And when shee hath caste, then hoode hir agayne, gyuing hir nothing to feede on, vntill she gleame after hir casting. But when shee hath caste and gleamed, then gyue hir a beaching of hotte meate, in companie gy­uing hir twoo or three byttes at once: and at euening make hir plume a Hennes wing in companie also. When you finde hir well reclaymed, and throughly manned, and eager, and sharpe sette, then it is tyme to feede hir vpon the lewer. And you muste marke whither the feathers of your hawkes casting be fowle or slymie, and whither the slyme thereof be [Page 104] yellowe or not. For if they bee, you muste bee very circum­spect to make hir cleane with washte meate and casting, and if shee be cleane within, then giue hir not so strong castings, as Hares feete, or Connyes feete: but giue hir the pynions of an olde Hennes wing, or the plumage that is to bee taken therevpon, or the necke bone chopped foure or fiue times be­tweene the ioyntes, washed, and steeped in faire water. To make an ende of this chapter, it is certayne, that it requireth more tyme to winne and to watche a Falcon once mewed in the woodde, than one whiche is taken sore at passage. And like­wise it is harder to winne a hawke taken at stande, when she hath long time bene accustomed, than it is to make a hawke whiche hath bene handled before. (∵)

How to lure a Falcon lately manned.

[Page 106]BEfore you shew the lewre to a Falcon newly reclaymed, you must consider three things, First, that she be well assu­red and boldened in companye, well acquainted also with Dogges and with Horses. Secondarily that she bee sharpe set and eager, hauing regarde to the houre of the morning or euening when you will lewre hir. And the third consideratiō is, that she bee cleane within, the lewre must bee well garni­shed with meat on both sides, and you must be apart in some secrete place whē you would giue hir the length of the lease. You must first vnhood hir, giuing hir a bit or twayne vppon the lewre, as she sitteth on youre fiste, afterwardes take the lewre from hir, and hide it that she see it not, and when she is vnseazed, cast the lewre so neare hir that she may catche it within the length of hir lease, and if she do seaze vpon it, then shall you vse the voyce and accustomed speache of a Falconer vnto his Hawke, and feede hir vpon the lewre on the ground, gyuing hir thervpon the warme thigh of an Henne or Pullet, and the hart also. When you haue so lewred hir at euening, giue hir but a little meate, & let hir be lewred so timely, that when she is therewith accustomed, you maye giue hir plu­mage and a Iuk of a ioynt. Afterwardes, and in the mor­ning betimes, take hir on your fiste, and when shee hathe cast and gleamed, giue hir a little beaching of good warme meate. Afterwardes when the daye is further forwardes, and that it is tyme to feede hir, take a Criance and tie it to hir lease, and goe into some fayre pleasaunt meadowe, and giue hir a bitte or two vppon the lewre, as before said, then vnseaze hir, and if you perceyue that she be sharpe set, and haue seazed vppon the lewre eagrely, then gyue hir to holde vnto some man whiche may let hir off to the lewre, then shall you vnwinde the Criance, and drawe it after you a good way, and hee whiche holdeth the Hawke must holde his right hande on the tassell of the Hawkes hood in a rea­dinesse, that hee maye vnhood hir as soone as you begin to [Page 107] lewre, and if she come well to the lewre, and stoupe vppon it roundly, and seaze it eagerly, let hir feede two or three bittes vppon it, and then vnseaze hir, and take hir from off the lewre, and hood hir, and then deliuer hir agayne to hym whyche helde hir, and goe further off and lewre hir, feeding hir alwayes vpon the lewre on the grounde: and vsing the familiar voyce of Falconers as they crie when they lewre. And thus you shall lewre hir euery day further and further off, vntill shee bee well taught to come to the lewre, and to take it eagrely.

Afterwardes let hir bee lewred in companye, hauing re­garde that neyther Dogges nor other thyng come in sud­daynly to fray hir, and when you take hir vp from the grounde, hood hir vppon the lewre, and when you haue well and often lewred hir on foote, then vse to lewre hir on Horsebacke: the whiche you shall the easlyer winne hir too, if when you lewre hir on foote, you cause some on Horsebacke to come neare you, that she may see them, and cause them to come neare hir when shee feedeth vppon the lewre, causing them also to turne and tosse theyr Horses aboute hir, but let their Horses be ruly, least they shoulde vppon the suddayne affright hir.

Furthermore the better to acquaint hir with horses, and that she maye the better knowe them, carrie youre Falcon (whiles shee feedeth) on high vppon the lewre neare vnto some man on Horsebacke, or get your selfe vp on Horse­backe, and rewarde hir vpon the lewre amongst horsemen, and when shee is well accustomed to them and well ac­quaynted with them, making no resemblance to feare them, you may then lewre hir on horsebacke in this man­ner: Hee whiche holdeth hir to let hir come to the lewre must bee on foote, and you where you lewre shall bee on Horsebacke, and when you call and cast the lewre about youre heade, then hee whiche holdeth hir, shall take [Page 108] off hir hood by the tassell, and you the meane while shall call and lure in the counningest wise you can, as Falconers vse to do: and if she seare eagerly vpon the lewre, and feare neyther people nor horses, then take off the lewring line or Creance, and lewre hir loose further and further off. And to make a Falcon come which is but newly reclaymed, and to make hir come in company of another Hawke, there must be two to hold a cast of Falcons, and two which shall lewre them, but he whiche holdeth the Falcon that is but lately lewred, shall not let hir come so soone as the other shall doe: then shall the lewre be throwen out vnto the Falcon whiche is but lately lewred, and when she is fallen thervppon, hir keeper shall car­rie hir vppon the lewre, to feede amongst the other make Hawkes. This being done twice or thrice, shee will followe them and loue them: and if you would haue hir loue dogges whiche is most necessary, you muste call dogges about you when you feede hir, or giue hir tyring or plumage.

How you shall bathe your Hawke being but lately reclaymed, how you shal make hir fleing, and to hate the cherke.

WHen your Falcon is well lewred aswell on horse­backe as on foote, and that she is ready to be caste off, and hathe bene well rewarded vpon the lewre, and is now altogither reclaymed from hir ramage toyes, and when she is also somewhat recouered of the paine and trauayle which you haue put hir vnto in making and reclai­ming hir, and bee yet in good plight, and haue hir thighes ploompe and well brawned, then offer hir water to bathe hir, spie out a fayre day when the weather is cleare and tempe­rate, then take a basyn so deepe that your Hawke may stand therein vp to the thighes, and fill it with water, and set it in some secret place: afterwards your Hawke being lewred and well rewarded in the morning with warme meate, beare hir [Page 109] vp vnto some high place, or banke, and there hold hir in the sunne vntill shee haue endued hir gorge, taking off hir hood, that she may proyne and picke hir selfe: that being done, hood hir agayne, and set hir neare to the bason, afterwards taking off hir hood agayne (if she will) let hir leape downe into the bason or vpon the grasse by it, and to make hir know the wa­ter, flappe therein with a little wand, and let hir bathe therein as long as she list: when she commeth out of the water, take some meate in thy hande and proffer it vnto hir, and be well ware that she come not out before thou proffer hir thy fiste to giue hir a bit or twayne, then take hir vp and hold hir in the Sunne, and she will picke and proyne hir on your fiste, or vp­pon your: knee if she will not bathe hir in a basyn, then prof­fer hir to bathe in riuer water at some foord. Bathing giueth an Hawke great courage, much boldnesse, and eager appe­tite: that daye that she batheth, giue hir nowasht meate. To make a new lewred Falcon, and to make hir vpwardes, the morow after she hath bathed, get on horsebacke in the mor­ning or in the euening, when she is sharpe set, and choose out some field or pasture, where fewest dooues or choughes be, then take your lewre well garnished on both sides, & hauing vnhooded youre Hawke, giue hir a bit or twayne vppon the lewre, then taking it away from hir, hood hir agayne, then going fayre and softly against the winde, vnhood hir: and be­fore she bate or find any checke in hir eye, whistle hir from off your fiste fayre and gently, and when she flyeth about, (trot­ting forwards with your horse) cast our your lewre, and suffer hir not long to flee about you at the first. Continue this both morning and euening for a fewe dayes, and if you perceyue that your Hawke haue no great list to flee about you, nor to stoupe to the lewre, and that shee maketh no semblaunce to loue other Hawkes, then must you make hir flee with one which loueth other Hawkes, and which will not gadde out to any chaunge or checke: and that must first be done at the par­tridge, for they flee not farre before an Hawke: and if youre [Page 110] Falcon haue flowen, and returne to you twice or thrice, cast out the lewre vnto hir, and reward hir vpō your Horsebacke, and afterwards feede hir vp, on the lewre vppon the grounde with good hote meate, to make hir resolute in hir fleing, and that shee may retourne to you with the better will, and if the fowle which you flew vnto be killed by any other Hawke, let your Hawke feede with the other Hawke, and when she is so rewarded a little, take hir off, and feede hir vpon the lewre.

If you flee to the riuer with youre Falcon, and that the flight be fayre and likely to be landed, stay, and drawe vnder the wind, and taking off your Hawkes hood, cast hir off with the rest. Whē you would haue your Hawke prooue vpwards and a high flying Hawke, you must let hir flee with a very high fleeing Hawke, but see that your Hawke be well taught to hold in the head, and that she loue well to flee with the o­ther Hawkes, and if the fowle be in a poole, or on a pitte or plash, you must first cast off the high fleeing Hawke, and hee which holdeth your new lewred Hawke, shall do well to get him vnder the wind, and when hee seeth his vantage let hym vnhood hir, and if shee bate then it is to get vp to the other Hawke. Then let him cast hir off and she will climbe against the wind right vnto the high fleeing Hawke, and before shee weery hirselfe too much with climbing to reache or couer that other Hawke, lay out the fowle, whē the high fleeing Hawke shall be at hir pitch, and lay them out behind hir, if she kill the fowle, then giue your Hawke rewarde of the Harte and the brest with the other Hawkes. If your Hawke go out to anye checke, and kill a Dooue or a Crow, or anye other checke and feede vpon it, or haue fedde vppon it before you come at hir, seeme not roughly to rebuke hir at first, but take hir downe to the lewre, giuing hir a bit of meate, and hood hir vp, and flee not with hir in two or three dayes after, but when you do flee, flee as neare as you can where there be no checke, but if by no meanes you can keepe hir from checking and going out, then for your last remedie, doe as followeth. If youre [Page 111] Hawke haue killed a cheeke, and you come to hir before shee haue fedde thereon, take the gall of a Henne, and anoynte therewith the brest of the cheeke whiche she hath killed, when she hath plumed it and is come to the bloud, and let hir feede but little thereon, least you make hir sicke, for shee will surely cast it agayne, yea though she should not cast it, yet woulde shee haue small lust to flee at such a fowle againe, but wyll hate and loth the meate thereof, or put any bitter thing there­vppon, as powder of mirre, or yong small woormes cutte in gobbets, but take heede that the bitternesse be not ouer strong, and if that the bitter tast haue discouraged the Hawke, then weate hir meate in sugred water. Some put on two payre of belles vppon their Hawkes legges, or stitch togither theyr principall long feathers of their wings, and also it shall be good when she goeth from cheeke, to cast hir out the lewre, or to lay out an hurt fowle before hir which she may kill. (∵)

How to flee the Hearon.

[Page 113]TO make youre Falcon a good Hearoner, you must set hir very sharp, and haue a liue Hearon, wherof you shal make your Hawke a quarrey in this sort. In the morning when it shall be time to feede your Hawke, if you perceyue that she be very sharp set, go to a meadow, and let the Hearon go after that you haue brused both his feete and his bill, and hide your selfe behind some bush: and then he which holdeth the Hawke shal vnhood hir, the which shal be vnder the wind. And if your Hawke will not flee at the Hearon, cast out youre lewre the whiche you shall hold in a readinesse therefore: but if she doe seaze on the Hare, make hir a quarrey thereon, giuing hir first the Hart, and when she hath eaten it, giue the Hearon to him which helde the Hawke before, who retiring backe a little shall lewre, tossing the Hearon about his head, holding hir by one of the legges or wings: then do you vnhood your Hawke againe, and let hir flee to him which lewreth sowith the Hea­ron, and let him not cast it out vnto hir but stay vntil she take and seaze it in his hand as he lewreth with it: then despoyle the brest of the Hearon and let your Hawke feede vpon it, and take y ^e marrow of the bone in the Hearons wing, and giue it your Hawke: and in this doing two or three dayes you shall nowsel youre Hawke therevnto and make hir loue the Hearon, the whiche you shall also bring the sooner to passe, if at y ^e first you inure hir with a make Hawke a good Hearoner. Then hauing found the Hearon at siege, you must get you with your Falcon vp into some high place, into the wind, and let him which hath the Hearoner (that is the male Hawke) put vp the Hearon, and when he hathe cast off his Hawke to hir, let him marke whether the Hearon do mount or not, for if she mount, then cast not off your Hawke, nor vnhood hir not, but if the Hearon seeme to be discomfited, and that she fall downe into the water, and that the make Hawke do stoupe hir, then vnhood your yong Hawke, and aduaunce hir: if she bate to bee gone, let hir flee to it.

How a man shall make his Hawke to loue other Hawkes, when she hateth to flee with them.

THere are some Falcons whiche will not flee with other Hawkes, but draw backward, and stirre not: some other will crabbe with euery Hawke, and flee of purpose to crabbe with them: some Falcon hateth to sitte or to flee with another Hawke, eyther for doubt and feare which she hath of them, or els for bicause she loueth thē not. That hawke which hateth o­ther Hawkes doth crabbe with them, and she whiche feareth them, dothe flee from them. For remedie heereof you muste haue a gentle Lanner, whyche maye bee sette on a pearche with that Hawke whyche hateth others, but farre ynough off, and by day light, then giue each of them a bitte of meate as you passe by them, and set them nearer and nearer, and when they bee neare one to another, put meate betweene them that both of them maye feede vppon it. Then if the Fal­con make no semblant to crabbe with the Laner, you shall gorge hir vp at night with good meate, and set hir abroade in the frost or colde vppon a pearche, if shee bee high and in good plight able to abyde it, and so shall you lette hir sitte three or foure houres. In the meane time holde your Lanner neare to the fyre, and afterwardes take hir vppon your fiste, then lette another bring you your Falcon hooded, and holde hir close betweene your side and the Lanner, and when shee feeleth the warmth of the Lanner, shee will drawe to hir, and hugge to hir for the heate, and lette them stande so together without ieouking (eyther the one or the other) vntill you see that the Falcon doe greately desire to ieouke, then vnhoode hir fayre and softely, and let it be in suche a place as shee see not, but let hir sit so all the night vpon your fiste. And when day appeareth, you must set them on the pearche that one neare to the other, yet so as they cannot one reache to ano­ther: [Page 115] That beeyng done two or three nightes togyther, lette them both be set abroade the third night in the cold, so neare that they maye sit close togyther on the pearche, and when you see them sit close that one to that other for warmth, then vnhood them, and afterwards feede them, pearche them, and lewre them both togither, and take payne to fynde the aduauntage.

How you shall enseame a Hawke, or giue hir castings, skourings. &c.

SOme Falcons be harder to enseame, than some others are, for the longer that a Falcon hath bene in the hande, the harder she is to be enseamed: and an olde mewed Falcon of the wood, whyche hath mewed but one cote in the Falconers handes, is muche easyer to be enseamed, than a yonger Fal­con whiche hathe bene longer in the Falconers hands: the rea­son is, bycause a Hawke whiche prayeth for hir selfe, dothe feede cleaner, and better, according to hir nature, and vppon more holesome meates, than she doth when she is in mannes handes, so that it is no meruayle though she bee not so fowle within when she is at hir owne diet, as when another man feedeth hir. For a Hawke whyche is in oure keeping dothe feede gredily both on skinne, feathers and all that commes to hand. Neyther is shee mewed with so cleane and holesome feeding, nor dothe endue hir meate so well, nor hath suche o­pen ayree at times conuenient as a Hawke whych is at large to pray for hir selfe. When you draw your Hawke out of the mewe, if shee bee greasie (the whiche you shall knowe by hir thighes if they be rounde and fatte, and also by hir body if she be full in the hand, and that hir fleshe bee rounde as high as hir brest bone) and if shee bee well mewed, and haue all hir feathers full sommed, then giue hir when shee woulde feede in the Morning a bitte or two of hote meate, [Page 116] and at nighte giue hir but a little, vnlesse it bee very colde, and if she feede well without constreynt or forcing therevnto, then giue hir washt meate thus prepared: take the wings of a Henne or Pullet for hir dinner, and wash them in two wa­ters, and if you giue hir Hares flesh or Beefe, let it be washt in three waters, on the morrow giue hir the legge of a Henne very hote, and at noone meate temperately warme, a good gorge, then let hir fast vntill it be late in the euening, and if she haue put ouer hir meate and that there be nothing left in hir gorge, then giue hir a little warme meate, as you dyd in the morning, and let hir thus be dietted vntill it bee time to giue hir plumage, the whiche you shall know by three tokens, the first is, that feeling the end of the pinion of the Hawkes wing, you shall feele the flesh as it were tenderer, and softer than it was before she eate washt meate: the seconde, if hir mewtes bee cleane and white, and that the blacke of the mewt be right blacke and not mingled with any other fowle thing or colour: the third token is, if shee bee very sharpe set and do plume eagerly, you maye giue hir casting eyther of a Hares foote or a Coonnies foote, or of the small feathers, which are on the ioynt of the pinion of an olde Hennes wing: take then the forefoote of a Hare, and beate it with the backe of a knife vntill the bones and clawes do fall out, bycause the small bones may mouldre and be all to frushed to peeces, the which you shall afterwards cut and lay it in fayre freshe water, then wring it, and giue hir it at two morsells, and when you set hir on the pearche, sweepe cleane vnderneath it that you maye see whether the mewte bee full of strakes or skinnes or not, and whether it bee full of slime and ordure or not, and if it bee, then continue this kinde of casting three or foure nights togither with washt meate as is before sayd, and if you perceyue the feathers disgested and soft, and that hir casting be great and full of ordure, then take the necke of an olde Henne, and cut it all alongst betweene the [Page 117] ioynts; and lay the ioynts in cleare cold water, and giue it to your Falcon without any other thing: and this is done by­cause it beareth downe before it into the pannell, the meate which is vpon the ioynts, and there in the pannell the flesh cō ­sumeth and the bones remaine sharp & pricking, which breake the kelles and skinnes, and the grosse ordure, and beare them with them: and giue hir so three nights togither, giuing hir by day washt meate as is before rehearsed, & afterwardes giue hir casting or plumage agayne, according as hir state dothe require. And thinke it not straunge that a Falcon which is to be enseamed, is sometimes a fortenight or more before shee will take casting: neyther yet that some Falcons will easiyer be enseamed in a month, than some other in fiue weekes, ac­cording as they be stronger or weaker of nature, and fedde with cleaner or fowler meates, or according as they haue bin shorter or longer time in mennes hands and keeping. When you haue drawen your Falcon out of the mewe, and that hir principal feathers be ful sommed, or that she haue some yet in the quill, do not giue hir washt meate, but quicke birdes, and good gorges thereof, and set hir asmuche as may bee in open places, for otherwise hir feathers maye chaunce to shrinke in the quill, and come to nothing.

To enter or make a Hawke, after the fashion of Lombardy.

WHen a Sparowhawke is māned and reclaymed, then giue hir nine or ten traynes at the least, and when she killeth, feede hir vp alwayes, and let the Quayle wherewith­all you trayne hir, haue a feather pulled out of each wing, and cast off the Sparowhawke to hir a farre off, so often y ^t she wil recouer the Quayle farre off, and then cast hir out a Quayle which hath hir full wings, afterwards you may flee the wilde Quayle with hir: and euermore when she doth kill, feede hir [Page 118] vp with a full gorge: the Almaines are of opinion that the tercell of the Goshawke is more weightie and more valiaunt than the Hawke, both to Partridge and Feasant. If you woulde make a Sparowhawke to the Pye, then dismember the Pye, and cast hir on the ground to the Hawke, and feede hir vpon hir with a hote meale, as with a Finche or suche lyke bird, & vse that order with hir twice or thrice, and afterwardes you may cast vp a Pye to your Hawke that is seeled, beeyng dismembred as beforesayd, and let hir kill hir, and feede hir vpon hir, also you may take a feather or two out of the Pyes wing, and set hir vp in some tree, and let your Hawke kill hir there, and make hir as good reward as you can thereof, and this beeing thus vsed, you maye flee with your Hawke to the wild Pye, but euer remember that in making these trayns your Pye be dismēbred that is to say, hir bill and hir tallents cut off, or so tyed and abated that she may not spoyle or hurte your Hawke. Goshawkes and Tercells of Goshawkes are better when they are taken haggards of a Cote or two Cotes out of the wood, than they are when they bee Sorehawkes, but then they must be kept with more delicate feede then the Soarehawkes, for they are made daungerous. For asmuche as in the wooddes they did commonly pray vpon warme meates, and therewithall they are sooner lost than Sorehawkes be, by reason they remember their eyree, but they should not be a­boue one or two Cotes at the most. (∵)

To enseame a Falcon and to make hir.

[Page 120]TAke your Falcon and vse hir as you vse the Goshawke in maner before declared, sauing that when you feede hir you shall call and lewre as if you called hir to the lewre: and euery day you shall proffer hir water, and euery night giue hir ca­sting accordingly as you shall see that she endeweth: and take off hir hood often times amongst company, and to the end she shall not bate, hold alwais the hood by the tassell in your hand ready. And in the euening when daylight beginneth to faile, take off hir hood amongst company of people by the candle­light vntill she rowze and mewte, and then set hir on y ^e perch and not before, and set light before hir, and when shee is well woonne to know the fiste, then begin to make hir knowe the lewre, and so by little and little reclayme hir, vntill you maye call hir loose without criance. Euery Falcon hath neede of a make Hawke to teach hir to holde in the head, and especially the haggart Falcon, the which may be peraduenture an hag­gart of two or three cotes, & yet shall be the better Hearoner: but if a haggart mewed will not hold in the head, then cutte off some part of hir two principalles in eache wing, the long feather and that which is next to it, and that shall force hir to hold in. You must also feate hir beake & cope hir reasonably. They always giue their Hawkes tyring both morning and euening, but the Falconers of the East parts are of a cōtrary opinion and say that it weakeneth a Hawkes backe. If you would make your Hawke vpwards or high flying, then after she is reclaymed and lewred and ready comming, when you lewre hir and that she commeth towards you, stoppe y ^e lewre vpon hir and let hir passe by you, and when she retourneth to­wards you throwe hir out the lewre, and make much of hir, and do thus oftentimes vntill you may suffer hir to flee lōger about you and to get vp higher, the whiche you must do in a plain field where no wood or trees are: and if she get vp to any pitch, then let hir flee a turne or two of iollity, and when she is at the highest and right ouer you, throwe hir foorth the lewre, or a Pigeon or Pullet, and giue hir a good gorge thereon, [Page 121] making the moste of hir that you can deuise, and take heede that you caste not your lewre into the water, least she shoulde thereby be rebuked. And when she is at hir gate, if percase she gadde out after some checke, and kill it, then take the pray from hir angerly, and beate hir therewith about the head, and hoode hir vp without any rewarde: and hereby she will the lesse de­lyght to rake out after a checke. When your hawke hath kil­led a fowle, take it out of hir foote, and cast hir vp againe, and when she is right ouer you, caste out the lewre, and feede hir vp vpon it, to make hir loue the lewer the better. But at the beginning rewarde hir and feede hir well vpon the quarrey, and that shall encourage hir and keepe hir from going out to the checke. When she is well in bloude, and well quarried, then let hir flee with other hawkes, vntill she be wel acquain­ted and inured.

If you would make your hawke to the Crane, take a Ny­asse Falcon gentle, and in entring of hir let hir kyll the grea­test fowle that you can finde. Hir lewre should also be a coū ­terfayte Crane. And when you woulde make hir fleeing, lette hir flee from the fiste, and succour hir quickely. For you muste haue dogges made for the purpose, whiche may helpe and suc­coure hir sooner than a man can doe. And lette suche dogges feede alwaies with your hawke, to make them the better ac­quaynted. If you woulde make a Falcon to the Hare, hir lewre should be then a Hares skinne stuffed with strawe, and when she is well lewred, & that you would enter hir, tye the sayde Hares skinne to the ende of a cryance, and fasten it to your saddle pommell, and when you galloppe, it will be like vnto a running Hare. Then vnhoode your hawke, and crye, Backe with the Greyhoundes, backe with the Greyhoundes. And when your hawke commeth to seaze the sayde Hares skinne, lette go your cryance, and suffer hir to take it, and re­ward hir well vpon it, and make the most of hir that you can deuise. And when you go about to enter hir y ^e second time, let not slyppe your cryance at the firste, but rather pull it from hir [Page 122] by force, and afterwardes let hir seaze vpon it, and so by little and little you shal teach hir to beate it and stowpe at it. For so must she do at a wilde Hare. And you muste feede hir alwaies amongst the dogges, and when shee is well nousled and en­tred in this manner, take a lyue Hare, and breake one of hir hinder legges, and lette hir go in some fayre place amongest your dogges, and your Falcon wyll stowpe hir and ruffe hir, vntyll the dogges maye take hir. Then take hir from the dogges, & cast hir out vnto the hawke, & crye backe, backe.

If you woulde make your hawke fleing to the Partridge, or Feasant, when she is reclaimed and made, then euery tyme that you lewre hir, caste your lewre into some lowe tree or bushe, that she may learne to take the tree, or the stande. And if she take the stande before shee espie the lewre, lette hir stande a whyle. And after drawe the lewre out before hir, and crye, Lo birde, lo, Hey lo birde, hey lo, and rewarde hir well. For in this manner she will learne to take stande. But feede hir al­wayes on the grounde, and in some thicke place, for in suche places she muste encounter with the Feasant at pearche. And at the firste flee with hir at Feasant, or Partridge that bee yong, to gyue hir the aduauntage, and afterwardes at the olde. If a Falcon wyll not take stande, but wyll keepe hir on wing, then muste you flee with hir in playne places, where you may alwayes see hir vpon you. Sacres and Laners will commonly take stande bothe in a tree, and on the grounde, but the Falcon Gentle taketh stande more willingly vpon the grounde. And when you drawe a hawke out of the mewe, beare hir not muche in hotte weather, for feare leaste by muche bating in heate, shee may gette the Pantyse. But if there be no remedie, then keepe hir alwayes hooded, and take as good heede to hir as you can. If your hawke be coye and daunge­rous, then giue hir salte with hir meate, I meane a dramme of the Salte called Sal Inde, or Sal geme, or Salis albi pulueri-Zati, and gyue hir water, for shee shall haue neede thereof. And make hir Ieouke all nyghte in payne, and in a moyste [Page 123] or colde place, and so shall she watche moste of the nyght, and thereby hir greace and pryde will be abated. Sacres must be nowsled and entred as soone as they bee manned, for else they are very harde to bee entred. Drawe your hawke out of the mewe twentie dayes before you enseame hir. If a Falcon trusse and carrye, to remedie the same, you muste cope hir tal­lantes, hir powlse, and hir petie single. Neuer rewarde your hawke vpon ryuer fowle, but rewarde hir, and make muche of hir vpon the lewre, to the ende she may the better knowe it and esteeme it. The Souldane fleeth to the Crane, wilde Goose, and Bustarde, with three or foure hawkes at once (or more) from the fiste, yea and those of all kinde of hawkes al­so, as Sacres, Gerfalcons, peregrine Falcons, and Vilanes. And afterwards a man may make them flee to the mowntie. You shoulde flee to the Crane before Sunne rysing, for she is sluggishe and slowthfull, and you may caste off to hir a caste or a lease of Falcons, or you may hawke to hir with the Gos­hawke from the fiste without dogges. Wilde geese are flow­en to in the same manner. And if you haue dogges to helpe & succour your hawkes, see that they bee stanche and gentle, and well made for the purpose, and a Greyhounde will bee moste readily made therevnto. You shall flee but once in a daye at the Crane, and therevpon rewarde hir liberally, and make as muche of hir as you can. The Vyllaine shoulde bee lette flee downe the winde. The Almaines doe flee at the Pye with a lease or twoo caste of Falcons at once, and they make them to mownte and to stowpe, as they doe at the Ryuer. But this muste be in a playne, where there be no trees nor woodde, but little shrubbes and bushes. If you vse to giue your hawke a brekefast or beaching very timely in y ^e morning, it wil make hir eager to flee at suche time as will be conuenient for hir to flee. And especially a Falcon, whiche you woulde haue high fleeing, and those shoulde not be highly kepte, but shoulde be fedde nyne dayes togyther before Sunne rising, and at nyghte late in the freshe or coole of the euening. So shall [Page 124] you make them highe fleeing, and by that meanes they wyll euery daye get gate higher & higher, so y ^t they be flowen with euermore in the playne champaygne. The Falcon gentle is commonly better inwarde when she hath mewed, than in hir soarage. The Falcon will kill the Hearne naturally, if she be a peregrine Falcon, and yet you shall do well to giue them traynes. A Falcon may flee ten flightes at riuer in one day, if the season be not extreme, and that is the moste that you shall flee with hir. The Falcons whiche are ryuer hawkes, shoulde alwaies be borne vpon the fiste. A hawke shall haue forty ca­stings before she be perfectly made. For a hawke whiche hath not casting euery nighte, will be surcharged with abundance and superfluitie of humors, the whiche do (from the stomacke) so ouerflow their brayne, that they cannot flee so high as else they would do. And therefore all hawkes should haue casting euery night naturally, if you woulde haue them sounde and cleane: & it is good to giue them tyring or plumage at nighte, especially field hawkes, but not ryuer hawkes, for weakening their backes. And euery thirde daye you shall present them to the water at the longest. Touche your hawkes fethers as litle as you can, for muche handling will make them out of order. The Vyllaine and the Lanerette may be sette vpon the stone incontinently, as soone as they be made. When your hawke hath flowen or bated, feede hir not as long as shee panteth, or bloweth, nor vntill she be in breath agayne. For if you should it is perilous to bring hir into the disease called Astma, and (in a hawke) the Pantise. If a hawke (eyther Falcon or o­ther) chaunce to be out of heart, and discouraged, (which hap­peneth oftentymes) then take suche paynes with hir that shee may kill some praye, and feede hir vp vpon it with a full gorge euen as long as she will eate, and the same night sette hir a­broade, that she may Ieouke in the open ayre at hir own plea­sure: and on the morrowe take hir and feede hir with small birdes to enseame hir, neyther more nor lesse than you would do with an hawke that were newe drawen out of the mewe. [Page 125] If a Falcon or other hawke will not seaze or gorge, take the quill of a wilde Gooses feather, and tye it vnder hir long sin­gle, and she will seaze and grype. And when she beginneth to feaze, take away the sayde quyll, and shee will seaze long af­terwards. If you cannot giue couert to your Falcon, or your Goshawke, then caste hir off with the Sunne in hir backe. All hawkes may be made flee at y ^e sowrce or spring. But in what sorte soeuer you flee with your Goshawke, lette hir haue the Sunne in her backe.

To flee all manner of fowles.

ALl traines of Partridge, Rookes, Crowes, and Choughs, shoulde bee seeled. Nowe to enter your hawke at any of them, make a lyttle pytte or hole in the grounde, and putte your trayne therein. Then couer the hole with a little borde, the whiche you shall fasten to a small cryaunce or corde, and that you shall holde in your hande to drawe away when you lyst. Thē you shall make as though you vncoupled your spa­nels to hunte and put vp the game, and you shall carry your hawke vnhooded. And when you perceiue that your hawke loo­keth that way where you haue layed the trayne, then drawe of the borde, and cause the traine to spring as though the spa­nels had sprong it. And if your hawke do take it, let hir feede thereon hir fill vpon the grounde: And thus must you do sun­dry times. If you woulde haue a good hawke, then nowsel hir yong, for so will she encrease hir force by little and little, and in the ende, shee will ouercomme bothe Feasaunte and Par­tridge, &c. And when shee hath killed, lette hir grype and seaze the praye at hir pleasure. And lette hir also plume there­vpon as long as she will, & euermore let hir be rewarded vpon the grounde. And when shee is well nowsled, then rewarde hir neuer but vpon the cockes of all prayes, bycause that wyll make hir loue that praye the better. And when shee killeth a henne of any kinde, lette hir no more but plume vpon it, and [Page 126] gyue hir but the heart, and the brayne at the moste, bicause she shall not loue to flee the Henne so well as the Cocke. It is muche better to nousel hawkes at yong fowles, than at the olde. For moste commonly if a yong hawke be let flee at olde game, shee will turne tayle, and cowardly giue it ouer, vnlesse you do as before is declared. If you woulde nousel or enter a haggarde, then do not enter hir or sette hir in bloude vpon a yong praye, or inure hir thereto. For then she woulde not afterwardes passe muche for olde game. And likewise for the same consideration you shall not nousel nor enter a mew­ed hawke at yong game.

For the Goshawke all fowles generally are good traynes, as Crane, Bustarde, Hearne, wilde Goose, Riuer fowle, Cor­morantes, Choughes, Rookes, Kyghtes, and all other fowle that haunt Ryuers or plashes.

Howe to make a trayne or flight for the Goshawke.

SEtte one of the sayd fowles vpon the water, and betweene you and the water, let there bee some small shrubbes or bu­shes, so as the Goshawke may haue couerte to take the stande if neede be, as also to keepe hir out of sight of the fowle, for hir aduantage. Then aduaunce your fiste, so as the hawke maye discrie the fowle. After whiche you may hold it lower againe, and so cast off the hawke. And if so be y ^t she seaze the fowle, lette hir feede thereon at hir pleasure on the grounde. To make your Goshawke to the brooke, lette hir flee those traynes afore sayde, as I haue tolde you. But when you see the hawke ap­proche the fowle, & to be within daunger, then strike vp your drumme before such time as y ^e fowle do espie your Goshawke. For if she once see the hawke before shee spring, she will by no meanes willingly forsake the brooke, but fall to dyuing and ducking, a defence whiche nature hath prouided & taught thē.

Thus muste you deale with the Goshawke to the brooke, [Page 127] but if you will flee with hir to the Hare & Lyueret, (which is a game that the Goshawke dothe muche delyghte to kyll and praye on) then muste you breeche hir, and at no time let hir flee without that deuise, for feare least she spoyle hir selfe. For the Hare is of some force, and in striuing to escape from hir, will force hir to stretche hir armes, and open hir selfe to wide, which is the vtter vndooing of your hawke. The Sparowhawkes do vse to kill the fowle at the Sowrce or Souse, as the Gos­hawkes do, whiche nature hath taught them, (for that beeing rounde winged hawkes,) if they dealt not vpon the aduaun­tage, the fowle might easily slippe from them, and escape their daunger. But so greate is the curtesie of kinde, as shee euer seeketh to recompence any defect of hirs, with some other bet­ter benefite, or at least such as shall serue the turne. Thus haue you the Frenche Falconers opinions layde downe, as touching the fleeing with eche kinde of hawke, or at leaste, the greatest parte of them. For the knowledge to flee with the Falcon, serueth for all Towre hawkes, and the Goshawke for the rounde winged hawkes. (∵)

To manne, hoode, and reclayme a hawke, after the opinion of the Italian Falconer.

HE that will furnishe his hawke accordingly, muste haue Iesses and Bewettes of good leather, and shrill belles, ac­cording to the hugenesse or condition of his hawke. So must [Page 81] he also haue a hoode for hir: and therewithall he must oftentymes hoode and vnhoode hir, in such sort that shee be not afrayde there­of, nor of hir keeper when hee handleth hir. In nine nightes hee shoulde not suffer hir to iouke at all, nor to come on any perche, but shoulde keepe hir continually so long vpon his fist. And when he will call hir, let him obserue this order: Set the Falcon vpon the perche and vnhoode hir, then shewe hir your fiste with some meate in it, and call hir so long till she come to it. And when she commeth feede hir, and rewarde hir as pleasauntly as you can: But if she come not, giue hir nothing at all vntill she be verye sharpe set. And this order must you keepe with your Hawke seuen or eight dayes togither.

When you would lure hir, giue hir vnto some other man to holde, and call hir with a lure well garnished with meate on both sydes, as you called hir to your fist. After you haue vsed that maner of calling sixe dayes or thereaboutes, cause hir to be helde further from you, and cast the lure about your heade, and throw­ing it out vpon the grounde a little from you: And if she come to it roundly, then feede hir and rewarde hir bountifully. And whyles your hawke is vpon the lewre, go aboute hir fayre and softly, lewring and crying: wó hó hó, as Falconers vse. And when you haue thus done by the space of certaine dayes, take your lewre garnished as before sayde, and euery day call hir to you as farre as shee may well heare and perceyue you: and let hir be loose from all hir furniture, that is without either loynes or cryaunce: and if she come so farre off to you, then feed and rewarde hir well, and stoppe hir in hir feeding oftentymes, for that will make hir come the better: but take heede that you hurt hir not in so doing. You shall also sometymes call hir on horsebacke. And when you haue vsed hir thus a moneth, or vntill she come well and roundly, and that shee be familiar with the man without any straungenesse or coynesse, then may you stop the lewre vpon hir, and make hir flee vpon you. But before you do so, it shall be meete to bathe hir, least when she is at libertie she rangle to seeke water, and so you might leese your Hawke: and euery seuen or eight dayes, your Hawke should be set to the [Page 130] water, for the nature of them so requireth. When you haue thus manned, reclaymed, and lewred your Falcon, go out with hir into the fieldes and whistle hir of your fyst, standing still to see what she will do, and whether she will rake out or not. But if she flee rounde vpon you, as a good Hawke shoulde flee, then let hir flee a turne or two: whiche done, throwe hir out the lewre, and let hir foote a henne or a pullet, and kill it, and feede hir well therevppon. Vnhoode hir often as you beare hir, and cease not so to do vntill she haue endewed and mewted sufficiently.

When your Falcon is thus made & manned, go abrode with hir euery morning when the weather is fayre and calme, and chuse a place for hir to flee in, where there is some narrow brooke or plashe of water. And when you cast hir off, go into the winde so farre that the fowle may not descrie you. And when she is cast off, and beginneth to recouer hir gate, make you then to­wardes the brooke where the fowle lie, alwayes wyling and ma­king your Hawke to leane in vpon you. And when you perceiue that she is at a reasonable pitche, then (hir heade being in,) lay out the fowle, and lande it if you can, and if you cannot, take downe your Hawke, and let hir kil some traine, as thus. Take with you a Ducke, and slip one of hir wing feathers, and hauing thrust it through hir nares, throw it out vnto your Hawke, and cast it as high as you can right vnderneath your Hawke, that she may the better knowe your hande, and you. And remember that you ne­uer flee a yong Hawke without some quicke thing caryed into the field with you, that if she faile at first to kill the wilde fowle, you may yet make hir kil that traine which you bring with you. And this you shall doe for a certaine time, vntill your Hawke be well entred and quarreyed, and that she knowe a quarreyor sufficiently. Some other Falcons there be of a contrarie nature, which will require great skill to finde their properties. And the same being knowne, you may keepe them high or poore, accor­ding to their conditions. So shal you do more good with them, than if you haue no respect to the diuersitie of their nature: for then you should commit great errours, and seldome make good Hawkes. You may traine Hawkes in this wise. First you shall [Page 131] feede your Hawke well vpon a fowle of the same kinde that you woulde traine hir withall, or haue hir flee to. And you shall doe so vntill you haue acquainted your Hawke with that kinde of fowle, the which you may do in this sort. Take that fowle that you will make the trayne of, and set it on foote with meate tyed vpon the backe of it, and go so neare it that the Hawke maye see it: and when she seeth it, let hir seaze therevpon, and foote the fowle and kill it. Or you may thus do better: Take a Cryance, and tye the fowle (which hath the meate tyed on hir backe) by the beake, and cause one to stande close which maye holde the same Cryance. Then vnhoode your Hawke, and stande a farre off, and let him drawe the fowle and stirre it with his Cryance, vntill your Hawke may see it styrre. And if she foote it, then may you afterwards make hir this other kinde of traine. Take a quick fowle which can flee, and when you haue half seeled it, and cast it out, let your hawke flee to it, and if she kil it, reward and feed hir vp well vpon it. (∴)

To keepe and make Sparhawkes.

IF you would know howe to feed and man Sparrowhawkes that be taken tender penned out of their eyree, it is meete that you keepe them in a freshe and sweete place, and giue them as much as they will eate, of small byrdes, as Sparrowes, Mart­lets, [Page 133] and such like. And also you may giue them other flesh, but see that it be sweet, cleane, and good, shred into small pellets vpon a cleane trencher. When they beginne to waxe full somed, giue them Sparrowes, and other small birdes whole, that they may learne to plume, foote, and tyre: and set them a Bason of cleane water in a heape of sande, that they may bathe therein and proine and picke their feathers. They that be thus dealt withall do not know how to pray and therfore you must enter them by traynes in this maner. Take a yong chickē which is of colour and plume like a Feasant or Partrich, & cast it out before your Sparhawke. But if she flee not vnto it, nor do foote it, then strip the skin vpon the head of the chicken vntil it bleed, and she will lightly seaze it, thinking that it is flesh to feed vpon. Then feed hir vpon it well, and thus you shall vse hir vntill she wil seaze a chicken of hirself. When she will take a chicken of hirself, go into some fayre close or medow where nothing may be to interrupt you, & take a yong chicken and throw it vp vnto your hawke vntill she flee to it and foote it: then feede hir vp therevpon, and coy hir asmuche as you can deuise: For Nyasse Sparhawkes are much more daungerous and coy than others be. When your Sparhawke will foote a chicken well as before sayd, then you may trayne hir thus. Cause some of your seruants or others to stande close in some ditche or other priuie corner, with a liue chicken in his hande: and stande your selfe with your Sparhawke vpon your fist a little distance from him: then crie and speake as you would speake, and cry to your Spaniels when they range the field. And when you thinke that your Sparhawke looketh that way as he that hath the traine standeth, let him cast vp the chicken, as highe as he can, and let your Sparhawke flee thereat, and seaze it. That done, rewarde hir, and feed hir therevpon, making much of hir, and cheering hir euermore among. Thus shall you do twice a day. When you haue thus trayned hir, mount on your horsebacke, & giue hir like traynes in the field as before sayd. Then set hir sharpe against an euening, and go out to seeke some game: and if you find, seek to make hir one flight at aduauntage, and let hir flee but once, and suppe hir vp vpon the pray. Thus in foure or fiue dayes at the be­ginning [Page 134] I woulde haue you let hir flee but one flight in a day, rewarding hir well alwayes when she killeth any thing, to the ende she may knowe hir game the better, and take the greater de­light therein, vntill she be throughly nousled. To keepe your Sparhawke in good order, ryse early in the morning, and ta­king hir vpon your fyst, tappe hir on the trayne with your two forefingers, and stroke on hir wings that shee may mantle and warble, and aduaunce hir selfe bolt vpright and delicately vpon your fyst. Sometymes also take off hir hoode, and put it on a­gaine fayre and softly, for rebuking hir. When you haue kept hir two houres vpon the fist, then set hir in the Sunne to weather hir halfe an houre: that beeing done call hir to your fist wyth meate, and whistle to hir often, and chirpe with your lippes, that she may learne to know that voyce when you call hir, and when she commeth rewarde hir well. Thus you shoulde vse hir day­ly, vntill she come well to the fyst: remembring alwayes that you deale with hir as gently and as amiably as you can deuise. When she is well manned, and well comming, trie if she couet not the water to bathe hir. And if she do bathe, then may you af­terwardes flee with hir: But first get on horsebacke, and call hir from off the grounde with a Cryance, for feare least she shoulde thinke straunge to come to you on horsebacke: and if she come well to you from the ground, being on horsbacke, then may you boldly flee with hir. But remember alwayes to espie some flight with aduauntage at the first, for discouraging of your Hawke: For if she be once well nousled and entred, you may afterwards he the bolder how and when to flee with hir.

The maner to feede a Sparhawke.

TO feede a Sparhawke orderly, you shoulde giue hir good meates, as thighes of Chickens and Pullettes, yong Spar­rowes, Martelettes and other small byrdes. Also sheepes hearts, or Lambes heartes: all these bee excellent meate for a Spar­hawke. And those you must gyue them cleane and hote, if it [Page 135] bee possible: for with hote meates you shall keepe hir alwayes in best plighte, and leaste daunger to abate. And to preuent diseases, you shall giue hir euery nighte casting of Cotton or Lint, or suche lyke. And yet some are of opinion, that it is not best to giue a Sparhawke casting so often: But by theyr leaue, I thinke it meete: and my reason is, that when you gyue hir casting, you shall alwayes perceyue the disposition of hir gorge and pannell from tyme to tyme, by the signes whiche you shall see vppon the casting, and in it: As sometymes it will bee white, sometymes blacke, sometymes yellow, somety­mes greene, and of other colours: and by this meanes know­ing the infirmitie of your Hawke, you maye the better prouide remedie for the same. Therefore I thinke it best to gyue a Sparhawke casting, and it shall not bee amisse to put there­in sometymes a whole Cloue, in a pellet of Cotton, whiche is a tryed medicine to drawe euill humours from a Hawkes head: Or sometymes you maye put a chyue of Saffron in hir ca­sting. And aboue all things, giue hir water once in three or foure dayes: For Sparhawkes doe muche couet the water, and it is the beste thing (with other good dyet) that can bee, to keepe a Sparhawke alwayes sounde and in good case.

Of feeding a Hawke.

TAke heede that you feede not your Hawke with two sortes of meate at once, for that is perillous. Forasmuche as the substaunces of them beeing diuerse, they striue in disgestion or endewing, and breede euill humors and wormes in a Hawke, and sill hir with winde. And beware also that you feede not youre Hawke wyth fleshe of beastes that bee olde, nor that bee hurte or taynted: For suche meates are harde to endewe, and full of venome and corruption, breeding dis­eases. Beware also that you giue not youre Hawke the fleshe of a broode henne. And it shall not be amisse sometimes to chaunge your Hawkes meate and feeding.

[Page 136]Gooseflesh (if you vse it oftentymes) will breede many fleg­matike humors in a hawke, and the cray in hir pannell.

The flesh of a yong Calfe is good for a gorge or two: but if you giue it oftner, These fedings are for the most part cō ­trarie to our english order in Falconrie. it ingendreth flegme and colde humors in the heade, and breadeth lise in hir. The hart is much better for cōmon feeding than the rest.

The flesh of a Ram goat, a female goat, or a gelded goat, is good to set vp a hawke. But some are of opinion that it breedeth the goute, and moyste watrie humours, and opilations in the gorge.

Mutton is not good, for it breedeth humours in the heade, as the Rye and such like: it dries vp and enflames a Hawke, and makes hir hose sit close to hir legges.

Lambes fleshe, and the fleshe of a Kidde, is good giuen with Goates milk, especially when your hawke is poore, and hath bene hardly delt withall.

Hares flesh, or Conies flesh, either colde or hote, is verie good to endew, and sounde meate for a Hawke: but take heede that you giue hir none of the braynes, nor anie of the haires or bones, for they are perillous, and breede wormes in the gorge and in the guttes.

Cattes fleshe is vnholesome, and harde to be indewed, and breedeth perillous wormes, and stoppeth a Hawke in the gorge, and marreth hir winde.

Rattes fleshe is good and wholesome: it consumeth choller, helpeth to loose the head, giueth good appetite and disgestion.

Dogges fleshe is good and verie sound, and verie meete for those kinde of Falcons, whiche are whote Hawkes of nature.

Woolues fleshe is naughte, and contrarie to a Hawkes nature.

This feeding we vse not.The flesh of a Foxe (as my Authour affirmeth) is holesome and setteth vp a hawke.

If your Hawke happen to sit abrode in the colde ayre, and es­pecially in the night, giue hir small birdes to feede vpon, bycause they are hote of nature and comfort much: but beware that you [Page 137] vse it not continually, for it will make hir too stately, and cause hir forget you, in suche sort, that you shall hardly reclayme hir from hir coynesse.

To feede with ryuer fowle and such lyke, there are some of them good, and some bad, as I will breefly declare.

Some hold opinion, that the bones and bloud of a Bargan­der, Moorehen, and such like, may be giuen to an hauke: but that the skinne, flesh, or feathers of them are not good, bycause they breede euill humours.

The flesh of a Ducke or of a Crane (as they report) is good and wholesome.

The flesh of a Partriche is most excellent when a Hawke is sicke and diseased.

The flesh of a wylde Goose, or of a flecked Crowe, is good: but you must giue your Hawke but little thereof, and none at al of their bloud: for it is salt, brackish, and of an euill nourishment.

The fleshe of these flesh Crowes, and of the Wagtayles (a Dishwasher as we terme them, in Latin called Motacilla) and the Cormorant, is of euill nourishment and disgestion.

The flesh of a white Storke, and also of the blacke Storke, called (Saracinessa) is euill of nourishment, and hard to be en­dewed, and stinking.

The flesh of the Bitter, and Sea Coote, is good and sounde, especially when the Sea Coote doth feede and scoure hir wyth sande, it is good to enseame and breath a hawke: although na­turally all water fowles are colde of complexion, moyste and hard of disgestion.

The flesh of the white Heron, otherwise called the Shoueler, and of the blew or ashe coloured Heron, is of good disgestion and nourisheth well.

The flesh of Finches, hedge Sparrowes, and such like, are in maner all one: and you muste beware that you giue not your hawke too much of them at once.

The Cuckoes flesh is indifferent good for a hawke.

The flesh of a Hearon royall, that is to say the gray Hearon, is reasonable good, according to the opinion of many auncient [Page 138] Falconers: but Ptholomeus king of Egipt doth alledge the cōtra­rie, saying, that naturally all foules which liue vpon fish, frogs, or snakes, and such like venemous wormes, are euill of disgesti­on, and that their bloud breedeth opilations and euill humours, although they seeme to delight hawkes to feed on them for their delicate sweetenesse and taste.

The flesh of the redde Harō is good: but you must giue but little of it.

The flesh of the Swan, and many other kindes of water fowles to long here to be rehearsed, are to be vsed according to the tyme and circumstances of occasion.

The flesh of Sea Crowes, and Rauens, Cormorants, and such like, are of a brackishe bloud, and therefore you may nowe and then giue your hawke a gorge thereof: but you must not vse it often.

The flesh of rauening byrdes, as Kightes, Puttocks, Har­pies, Eagles, Eyrons, and such like, all these are verie contrarie to the nature of Falcons, and are stinking, of euil disgestion, and chollericke. Their bloud and braynes are worst of all, for they breede perillous wormes.

The flesh of all byrdes which feede vpon seedes, as Feasants, Pertriche, Quayles, and such like, are the best that can be, especi­ally when a falcon or any other Hawke is sicke.

Doues flesh is excellent, eyther when a hawke is sicke, or to mew withall: for it makes a hawke to mewe well & quickly.

Pullets fleshe, and Chickens fleshe, is good at all times, and alwayes in season, as the flesh of that fayre fowle Bella Donna is.

To man and make a Hawke: and first of a Niasse Falcon.

THere are three sortes of Falcons. viz. Niasses, Sorehawkes, and Hawkes, taken praying for themselues at large, whiche our [Page 140] Falconers call ramage or sleight Falcons. And I am of opini­on that they are all made after one sort, and are manned much a like. But by mine aduice no man shall much assure himselfe in a Niasse, bycause ouer and besides that (for the most part) they proue not well, they do also require great paynes and atten­dance with extreeme pacience, to make them kill and stoupe a fowle well, or to flee a high pitche. Neuerthelesse if any man will needes be doing with them, he shoulde first make a Niasse to the Hearon from the fist, I meane both the blew and redde Hearon, and to suche other great fowles. For as much as the Niasse hawkes are naturally good seazers, bold, and hardy birds. And after they be well in bloud, and entered in fleeing to those fowles from the fyst, then may you make them to the Ryuer, going into some fayre large field, whereas there may be eyther some wilde Pecockes, fleshe Crowes, or some other great fowle, bearing your Falcon on your fist: loose hir hood in a readinesse, drawing as neare the fowle as you can, and the first fowle or byrde that springeth, vnhoode hir and let hir flee from the fyst to the same fowle, bycause they may drawe your Hawke vp­wardes. And when she is at a greate gate, or at a reasonable pitche, then throwe hir out a Ducke, or a Mallarde seeled with a feather through the nares. And if shee kyll it, then rewarde hir well, and feede hir vpon it wyth as muche fauour as you can deuise, alwayes lewring and crying to hir to comfort and encourage hir.

Of Ramage Falcons.

IF a falconer chaunce to recouer a Ramage Hawke which was neuer handled before, let him immediately seele hir, and there­withall let him euen then also put on hir Iesses, the which must bee of Shameuse leather, or soft Calues leather, or suche other leather as maye bee gentle and plyaunte to hir legge. At the ende thereof it shall not bee amisse to sette two Veiuelles of Syluer, the one thereof maye haue the armes of the King, or Queene whom you serue, and the other a Scutcheon of your [Page 93] owne armes. For as much as when they flee out, if they chaunce to be taken vp, they may the sooner be returned againe and resto­red to their owners, the which must then remember to rewarde the taker vp of his Hawke liberally. You shall also put hir on a a paire of good Belles with two propre bewets: Being thus fur­nished, you shall go about to man hir, handling hir often gent­ly, and both to auoyde the sharpnesse of hir beake, as also the bet­ter to rebuke hir from byting and nipping: you shall haue a streight smooth sticke, as bigge as your finger, and halfe a foote long or more, with the which you shal gently stroke your hawke about the pinions of hir wings, and so downwardes thwart all hir trayne. And if she chaunce to knappe or byte at the sticke, let hir bite hardly, for that will rebuke hir thereof, whereas your hande being twitched away fearefully, would make hir proceed the more eagerly. To man hir well you must watche all the nighte, and keepe hir on youre fiste: and you muste teache hir to feede seeled: and hauing a greate and easie rufter­hoode, you muste hoode and vnhoode hir oftentymes seeled as shee is, handling hir gently about the heade, and coying hir al­wayes when you vnhoode hir, to the ende she take no disdayne or displeasure agaynst hir keeper. And also make hir to plume and tyre sometimes vpon a wing, and keepe hir so on the fist day and night without perching of hir, vntill she be wearie, and suf­fer you to hoode hir gentely and stirre not: and correct hir of hir ramage toyes, especially of snapping and byting, stroking hir e­uermore as before sayde with your sticke. But if it happen (as it doth sometimes) that your chaunce be to haue a Falcon so ra­mage and shrewde metteld that she will not leaue hir snapping and byting, then take a cloue of Garlike cleane pilled, or a little Aloes Cycatrina, and when she byteth or snappeth at your hand or sticke, offer hir the Garlike or Aloes, and let hir bite it: for eyther the strong sent of the Garlike, or the bitter taste of the Aloes, will quickely make hir leaue hir biting and snapping.

To vse a Hawke to the hoode.

IT happeneth oftentimes that Falconers haue Hawkes which come from Cyprus, Candya, Alexandria, and other farre coun­treyes, [Page 142] the whiche hauing beene in the handes of suche as coulde not well skill of them, become coye and verye vntowarde to be hooded, and will hardly bee woonne to abyde the Hoode by a­ny meanes. In this case you muste fyrst seele youre Hawke, and beeing seeled, you muste fitte hir with a large easie Hoode: and hoode and vnhoode hir often therewith, watching hir a nighte or twoo, and handling hir oftentymes aboute the heade as before sayde, vntyll she haue forgotten that faulte. And when shee once doeth leaue it, you maye vnseale hir in an E­uening by Candle lighte, handling hir styll softly wyth your hande aboute the heade, hooding and vnhooding hir oftenty­mes, vntill shee wyll well abyde the Hoode and brooke to bee handled. And here I thinke good to expresse myne opinion, that hee whiche taketh in hande to bee a Falconer, ought fyrste to bee verye pacient, and therewythall to take syngular delyght in an Hawke, so that hee may seeme to bee in loue (as it were naturally) with his Hawke, euen that a man would say, it were a thing bredde so in the bone as it coulde neuer bee rooted oute of the fleshe. For suche a man with neuer so little payne and industrye, will become an excellent Falconer: but hee whiche taketh not that delyght in his Hawke, but doeth rather exer­cise it for a pompe and boast, than vppon a naturall instinct: or beeyng a poore manne, doeth vse it to get hys lyuing, such a man in mine opinion shall seldome proue a perfecte Falconer, but a marrehawke, and shall beare the bagge after a right Falco­ner. To turne to my purpose, when your Hawke beeing so seeled, doeth feede well, and will abyde the Hoode, and to bee handled, withoute stryking or byting at your hande: then in an Euening by Candlelyght you shall vnseele hir, and wyth youre finger and a little spyttle, annoynte the place where the seeling threade was drawne thorough. And when you haue hooded hir, take hir on youre fyste, and holde hir so all nyght vntyll daye appeare agayne, doyng off hir Hoode often­tymes, and handling hir gently wyth your hande, strokyng hir softly aboute the wyngs and the bodye, hooding and vn­hooding of hir, and giuing hir sometymes to feede, a morsell [Page 143] or twayne, or sometymes tyring or plumage. But aboue all things, you muste watche hir on the fyste, so manye nightes togither, without setting hir downe on anye pearche, that shee may bee wearie, and suffer you to hoode and handle hir gently without anye maner of resistaunce, and vntill shee haue alto­gither left and forgotten hir stryking and byting at your hande: but some Hawkes will bee long before they leaue that fault, as the more coy or ramage that they bee, the longer they will retayne those ill tatches, and will not peraduenture be woonne from them in three, foure, or fyue dayes. When shee is well reclaymed from it, then you maye let hir sitte vppon a pearche to rest hir. But euerie night you shall doe well to keepe hir on the fyste three or foure houres, handling hir, and strokyng hir gently, and causing hir to tyre or to plume, alwayes ma­king of hir, and hooding and vnhooding hir oftentymes as before sayde. And the lyke maye you doe also by daye lyghte, but in a Chamber a part, where shee may see no great light vntil she feede surely and eagerly without dreade.

To make your Hawke knowe your voyce.

IF your hawke be thus in foure or fiue dayes manned, so that she beginne to feede eagerly and boldely, then you shall fyrste beginne to make hir knowe youre whistle, or the chirping of your mouth: and afterwardes your voyce, in this maner. Take a quicke Pullette, and goyng into some secrete place, where your Hawke maye well perceyue the fowle, and yet see no great open lyght, let hir plume and feede vppon it, as shee sitteth vppon your fyst: then chyrke wyth your voyce, and vse those o­ther soundes which Falconers do to their Hawkes: and feed hir so hooding hir gently: then afterwardes you may let hir plume a little vpon some wing, beeing still hooded, as well to loose hir in the heade, and to make hir cast water, as also to teache hir the better howe to sitte on the fyste. The feeding for a Falcon shall bee Pullettes, not verie olde, Calues heartes, [Page 96] wethers harts, and hogges harts, and to giue hir a conuenient gorge, to the ende she may the better disgest both the grosse sub­stance, and the slimie matter. But if your Falcon be not eager or sharpe set, then shall you do well to washe hir meate some­tymes in fayre water, and some other whiles in vrine, wringing it a little and then feeding hir therewith, for one, two, or three gorges, and that not continually: but respecting a day or two betweene, and that is referred to the discretion of the good Fal­coner. For this is done somewhat to abate a Hawke and to en­seame hir. It shall not be amisse also in the morning when she is emptie both in the gorge and pannel, to conuey into hir a little Sugercandie, to the quantitie of a small nutte, for that dissol­uing in hir, will make hir the better to endure, and will bothe breake the grosse substaunce, and disgest the glitte in hir, and al­so will make hir eager, as shall be further sayd hereafter.

How to make a hawke know hir feeding.

WHen your Hawke feedeth eagerly, and knoweth your whistle and your voyce, then may you teach hir to know hir feeding, and to bate at it in this wise. You should with your right hande shewe hir meate, crying and lewring to hir aloude, and if shee bate or strike at it, then must you quickly and hand­somely let hir foote it and feede on it for three or foure bittes: and do thus oftentimes, to the ende she may the better know hir fee­ding. And afterwards feede hir, and giue hir euerie night (with­out intermission) some casting eyther of feathers, or of cotton, with two Cloues, somtimes cut in foure peeces, and put into the casting, or a little Aloes wrapped vp in the Cotton, according as the Falconer shall see that it is requisite. For such castings make a Hawke cleane and eager. (∵)

To make a Falcon bolde and ventrous.

[Page 146]WHen a Falcon hath learned to feede, and to knowe the call of hir keeper: then to make hir hardy, you shal suf­fer hir to plume a pullet or good great chickē. And you shal go into some close place, where she may not see ouermuch light, as before sayde, where loosing hir hoode in a readines, you must haue a liue pullet in your hande, & kneling on the ground, lew­ring and crying alowde vnto hir, make hir plume and pul the pullet a litle. Then w ^t your teeth drawing the strings, vnhoode hir softly, suffring hir to plume and pluck it w ^t hir beake twice or thrice more, caste out the pullet vpon the grounde before hir. Then must you with raysing or holding downe your fiste, en­courage hir vntill she leape downe vpon the pullet, and seaze it. Then when she beginneth to breake it and to take bloude, you shal lewre & cry alowde vnto hir, and encourage hir by all the meanes y ^t you can, feding hir vpō the ground. And therwithal you shall take hir vp gently and nymbly with the pullet in hir foote, whereon lette hir plume, and feede nowe and then a lit­tle. Then hoode hir gently, and at laste gyue hir tyring of a wing or a foote of the sayde pullet.

To make a Falcon knowe the lewre.

AFter that your Falcon hath twice or thrice thus killed a pullet in some secret place, thē must you make hir know y ^e lewre in this wise. Fasten a pullet vnto your lewre, and go a part. Then giue your Falcon to holde vnto some other man, who may draw loose y ^e strings of hir hoode in a readinesse. And when you are gone a little backe frō him, take your lewre at halfe y ^e length of y ^e string, and cast it about your heade once or twice, lewring with your voice also. Then let y ^t other vnhoode your hawke, whiles you throw out y ^e lewre not far from your hawke, lewring & crying still vnto hir. And if your hawke do stoupe to y ^e lewre, & seaze y ^e pullet, suffer hir to plume hir, coy­ing hir, & lewring stil w ^t your voyce. Then let hir feede on the pullet vpon the lewre, and afterwards take hir vpon your fiste togither with hir meate, and hoode hir, suffring hir to plume and tyre, as is before sayde.

How to call your Falcon loose, and at large.

WHen your Falcon hath come well three or foure times vnto the lewre in some secrete place, as well to a lyue pullet as to a deade, then shall you go abroade into some fayre medow, where are no trees, and fastning a quick pullet vnto y ^e lewre, giue your hawke to hold vnto another man. Thē tying also a cryance vnto your hawkes lease, cause that other which holdeth your hawke to make ready hir hoode, and giue hir a lit­tle bytte of meate on his fiste, chirping and cheering hir w ^t his voyce: Euen therwithall do you go abacke foure or fiue paces or more, lewring twice or thrice, lette him whiche holdeth the hawke, do off hir hoode, then do you take the lewre at length of the string, and cast it about your heade, crying and lewring alowde, throwing it vpon y ^e grounde: and if your hawke stoupe at the pullet, suffer hir to breake it, and feede hir vpon y ^e lewre, casting hir to eate the braines and the heart of the pullet with the lewre also, alwayes crying and lewring. And this order shall you obserue dayly further and further off, vntill shee be well lewred, entred, and manned.

How to call a Falcon, that will come loose.

WHen your Falcon will come a far off vnto the lewre, and stoupe to it being throwen out, w ^tout any coynesse or ramagenesse, then setting hir sharpe, you shall get on horse­backe in a morning, and go into some faire playne fielde, and as neare as you can, where ther is no wood nor trees, there gi­uing your hawke vnto some other man to hold (whiche muste also bee on horsebacke.) Put your cryance to your hawke in suche wise, that she may not tangle hir selfe therwith in com­ming to y ^e lewre. Thē drawing backe a little as much as you thinke meete, gyue a signe to him y ^t holdeeth y ^e hawke, to make ready hir hoode, & let him hold vp his fist on heigth. Then lewre you three or four times as lowde as you cā, alwaies casting y ^e lewr about your hed, whervnto for y ^e first time I wold haue a [Page 148] Pullette fastened still. And whyle you so do, lette him whiche holdeth your hawke, pluck of hir hoode, and if she come streight to the lewre, forbeare vntil she come within eight or ten paces of you, then cast it vnto hir. And if she take the lewre, lette hir plume thervpon, and lewre you still with your voyce, lighting of your horse, and draw neare to your hawke fayre & softely, lewring & crying vnto hir, and so feede hir as afore sayd. But after that she be called two or three daies to y ^e lewre on horse­backe with a cryance, or more or lesse, according to y ^e toward­nesse or vntowardnesse of the hawke, if shee come roundely a bowe shot from you, you may then go out in a morning, ha­uing set hir reasonably sharpe for the purpose, & cal hir loose on horsebacke, y ^t is without either lease or cryance, but loose, and in cōpany. And if she come to you, feede hir vpon the lewre, as beforesayde, lewring still vnto hir, to make hir acquainted with your voyce. And the nexte daye you may call hir to the drye lewre, without a Pullette, or any thing vppon it. And when she is come to the lewre, caste hir out a quicke Pullette, breaking firste the feete and legges thereof, and let hir kill it vpon the lewre, and feede hir vp.

To make a Falcon fleeing.

WHen your hawke will come, and stoupe to the lewre roundly and without any ramagenes, thē if she be a haggard, you must put hir on a payre of great lew­ring bels, and the like shall you do also to a soarehawke. And so much the greater ought your bells to be, by how much more you see your hawke gyddyheaded, or like to rake out at cheeke. For it cā be no hurt to clogge hir w ^t great bells at y ^e first, vntil hir cōditions be knowen & well perceyued. That being done, & hauing also set hir sharp, go one morning on horseback into some faire large field, w ^tout wood or trees, if it be possible, and hauing your hawke vpō your fist, cōsider of y ^e wind, & ride you vp into y ^e winde, or towardes that way as the winde bloweth, [Page 149] halfe a bowe shotte. And hauing loosened your hawkes hoode, whystle softely, as it were to prouoke your hawke to flee. Whervpon she will beginne to bate, or at least to flappe with hir flagges and sayles, and to aduaunce hir selfe vpon your fist. Then suffer hir vntil she rowse or mewte, & when she hath done either of them, vnhoode hir, and let hir flee with hir heade into the winde. For therby she shalbe the better able to get vp on wing, and to get into the winde. Then will your Falcon naturally clyme vpwardes, rouing & fleing rounde. Therfore whē you see that she hath flowen twoo or three times, you shal cry and lewre with your voyce, and cast the lewre about your heade, whervnto first tye a pullette, as before sayde, and if your Falcon come in, when she approcheth neare you, thē cast out y ^e lewre into the wind, & if she stoupe to it, reward hir as before.

To make a Falcon leaue the stande on the grounde.

YF your Falcon at firste when she fleeth from the fiste, will not get vp, but take stande on the grounde, as the most part of soare Falcons do commonly, you shall not yet therefore be discouraged, nor out of hope, but rather making towardes hir with your horse, & threatning of hir, seeme to feare with your wande, and driue hir from the stande, vntill she flee a turne or twoo. Then take hir downe to the lewre, and feede hir. But if so chaunce y ^t your hawke will not leaue that faulte of taking the stande, then muste you seeke to finde out some Choughe, Starling, or some suche birdes, making readie your hawkes hoode, drawe as neare them as you may, vntill they rise. Then vnhoode your hawke, and no doubte if she will flee them, they will trayne hir well vpwards. Then must you haue in a rea­dinesse a Ducke seeled, as before sayde, and so as she may not see but backewardes, bycause shee maye thereby mownte the higher And holding hir faste by one of the wings, neare vnto the body, in your right hande, and lewring with your voyce to [Page 150] make your Falcon turne the heade, forbeare tyll shee be at a reasonable pitche, then running vnder hir, caste vp your Ducke towardes hir, that she may perceyue it, and that the Ducke may be to hir in steede of a trayne. And if shee strike hir, or stoupe hir, or trusse hir, then suffer hir to kill it, and rewarde hir vpon it, taking out one of hir legges, or both, if nede require, feede hir vp with a reasonable gorge. This being done once or twice, or oftener, according to the occasion, your hawke will leaue the stande, and delight to keepe hir on wing, and be­come also the more obedient and louing.

To make the Falcon to the Ryuer.

WHen your Falcon is accustomed to flee for it, and will lye vpon you at a great gate, or at a reasonable pitche, and will come and holde in the heade at your voyce and lew­ring, then may you go to the Ryuer, where you shall finde any fowle, and there shall it behooue you to vse suche pollicie, that you may couer the fowle, and get your hawke to a good gate, aboue the fowle. And when hir heade is in, then laye out the fowle, and cry, Hey gar, gar, gar. And if your Falcon do stoupe them, and enewe them once or twice, then quickly thrust your hande in youre hawking bagge, and make hir a trayne with a Ducke seeled. And if your hawke do eyther trusse or stoupe it, succoure your hawke immediately, crossing the Duckes wings, and lette your hawke plume. &c. I am of opinion, that for the firste or seconde tyme that you shewe your hawke a fowle, it shall not bee beste to shewe hir greate fowle, but rather small fowle, as the Dapchicke, or suche like. For if you shewe them the greatest fowles at the firste, it often happe­neth that they slyppe from the hawke vp the winde, and the hawke cannot recouer them, (but raketh out after,) where­by the Falconer is fayne to trotte farther than hee woulde, yea and sometymes also hee leeseth his hawke. Where­fore [Page 151] in my iudgement it were better at the firste to bee merry and wise.

To make a hawke inwarde at the Ryuer, when she raketh out.

YF it chaunce that your hawke rake out with a fowle, and cannot recouer it, and in the ende giues it ouer, and comes in againe directly vpon the man, then shall you do well to cast hir out a seeled Ducke. And if shee stoupe it, or trusse it, crosse the wings, and suffer hir to take hir plesure, rewarding hir, and giuing hir the heart, braynes, tongue, and lyuer, with a legge or two, according as you see occasion. And for default of a quicke Ducke, take hir downe to the drye lewre, and lette hir plume a pullette, and feede hir vpon it. Thus doing, your hawke will learne to giue ouer a fowle that rakes out, and hearing the keeper lewre, shee will learne the better to holde in the heade, and to make backe againe to the Ryuer.

To make a flight for a Haggarde.

HE that woulde make a flyght for a Haggarde, he shall do well in my conceyte, to flee where there bee no Crowes, Choughes, or such like, for the first two or three flights, bicause she shall take none occasion to rake out after suche cheeke. And it shalbe good also, that you let hir not flee out on heade too far at the first, but runne after hir, and cry to hir ( VVhyloe, whyloe) make hir turne heade. And when she is come in, take hir down with the lewre, vnto the whiche I woulde haue a quicke pul­lette fastened, as before sayde. And you shall suffer hir to tyre, plume, and feede as before, &c. It happeneth oftentymes, y ^t a Haggard through hir gadding moore & gallantnesse of minde, doth rāgle out from hir keeper, more thā vpon any other cause. Then shal you clogge hir with greater lewring bells, & make hir a traine or two w ^t a ducke seeled, to teache hir holde in, and [Page 152] knowe the man. You shall not neede to trayne a Haggard so often as a Soarehawke, bycause they haue bene accustomed to praye for themselues, and doe by experience knowe one fowle from an other. But they doe muche better remember eyther the rebukes, or cherishings whiche are made to them, than Soarehawkes do: and therfore it behooueth to vse more care and heede aboute a Haggarde, than a soare Falcon, and aboue all things to take hir often downe with the dry lewre, and to lette hir take hir pleasure of hir rewarde. And (as Falconers tearme it) to bee euer well in bloude. For otherwise she will not long be at your commaundement, but make you followe hir. (∵)

How to make your Falcon kill hir fowle at the firste.

WHen a Soare Faulcon, or a Haggard is well lewred, and flyeth a good gate, or a reasonable pitch, and stou­peth [Page 154] well, then shall you first cast off a well quarried or make Hawke, and let hir stoupe a fowle vpon a brooke or a plashe, and watch hir vntill she put it to the plunge: then take downe your make Hawke, and reward hir, and hood hir vp, setting hir a little way off by the flight, that you may vse hir help af­terwards if neede be. This being done, take your yong hawke which is not yet entred, and going vp the wind halfe a bowe­shotte, or thereabouts, loose hir hood, and softly whistle hir off the fiste, vntill she haue rowsed or mewted, then lette hir flee with hir head into the wind, hauing first giuen fhew to youre company that they be in a readinesse against the Hawke bee at a good gate, and to shewe water, and lay out the fowle. This order being obserued, and running and crying as Fal­coners vse to do, hawke on your Faulcon, and giue hir leaue to get vp, and when she is at a reasonable pitch, and couering the fowle, giue a signe to youre companions that they drawe neare to the water, and all at once make in vpon the fowle on all sides the brooke (as Falconers tearme it) to land hir: then if your Falcon stoupe and strike or trusse it, runne in apace to help hir, and crossing the fowles wings, let your Hawke take hir pleasure on it, feeding hir as custome is: but if so chaunce that she cannot slay it at the firste stouping, then you muste giue your Hawke respite and time to recouer hir gate: And when she is at hir gate againe, and hir head in, then lay out the fowle agayne as before sayd, vntill you may land it at the last, alwayes remembring that as soone as shee seaze it, you succour hir quickly and reward hir according to order. True it is that to be assured, you shal do well always to haue a quick Mallard or Ducke in the Hawking bagge whensoeuer you would make a flight: and if your Hawke kill not the fowle which is stouped (as often hapneth by many ouerthwart chā ­ces) then may you quickly haue recourse to the hawking bag, and feeling your liue Ducke (your Hawke being at hir pitche and hir head in) you may throw hir vp to your Hawke, & re­ward hir &c. For this order shal alwais maintain your hawke to be inwards, and in good life, and bloud.

How to do when your riuer Hawke will take stand in a tree.

IF you haue a Falcon whiche (assoone as shee hathe once or twice stouped & endewed a fowle) wil take stand on a tree, you must asmuche as maye bee, eschue to flee in places where trees be, and you muste haue two or three liue traynes, and giue them to sundrie Falconers, placing them all of purpose, some here, some there: and when your Hawke hath stouped and woulde goe to stande, then lette him vnto whome the Hawke doth most bend, cast out his traine ducke, seeled, and if the Falcon slay hir, then reward hir &c. And by this meanes she will leaue that fault, but if in this doing twice or thrice, she will not leaue that tricke, then the best counsell I can giue you, is to ridde your hands of such a kight.

To make a Hawke fond of the Lewre.

WHen your Hawke is well quarried, and fleeth well to the riuer, and fleeth a great gate, or a reasonable pitch, then shall you do well also to make hir fond of the lewre: for when a Hawke hath stouped once, twice or thrice, you shall do well to take hir downe with the lewre, and to let hir kill a Pullet and feede hir vppon it: yea the higher fleeing that a Hawke is, the more neede to take hir downe the oftner with the lewre, and to regarde that you ouerflee hir not: For if it happen that a fowle beeing often stouped, will not spring a­gayne, but will rather fall to diuing (which Falconers call the ploonge) then must you take hir with dogges, or kill hir with Hawking poles, or vse some such other deuise, and be fayne to take down your Falcon with the lewre, and giue hir y ^e fowle vpon the lewre, feeding and rewarding hir with asmuch de­light as you can to make hir fond of the lewre. It hapneth of­tentimes, that many Falcons will hardly become fond of the lewre, through the greate desire they haue to kill their fowle. [Page 156] To helpe that, I thinke it not sufficiente onely to keepe hir from often killing, but sometimes you muste also take the quarrey out of hir foote as soone as she hath fedde vpon alittle of the braynes, and hood hir vp, then giuing hir vnto another to hold: go from hir a bowshotte, and call hir to the lewre, and so feede and reward hir well vppon the lewre with the fowle that she killed, and this order will make hir fond of the lewre.

How to help a Hawke when she is froward and coy through the pride of grease.

SOmetimes a Falcon will become very prowde and dis­daynefull by being ouer high kept, in sort that she shall not neede to be fedde nor rewarded according as they feede when they pray of themselues at large: and although she flee and kill, yet assoone as she hath plumed a little, let hir keeper take a sheepes hart colde, or the legge of a Pullet, and whiles the Hawke is busie in pluming, let the Falconer conuey the hart of the Sheepe, or the Pullets leg into some part of the body of the fowle, that it maye take some tast of it: and when the Hawke hath eaten the braynes, hart, and tongue of the fowle, then let him take that foorth and call his Hawke with it vnto the fist, let him feede hir therewith, and giue hir a little of the feathers in the necke of the sayd fowle, to scowre hir & make hir cast.

VVhen a Falcon will not hold in the head.

IF a Falcon vse to rake out after checke or otherwise, and leane out so farre, as neyther for whouping, lewring, or for casting the Hawkes gloue about your head, she will come in againe to the flight, but rather still more and more gad out, and so flee away: in this case you muste followe after hir, [Page 157] lewring and whouping a good, proffering hir to the lewre, to make hir put in hir head againe: and if she do turne and come to y ^e lewre, then feede and reward hir, &c. And do not faile in any wise to be fond of hir, when shee commeth to the lewre, bycause she may therby the better learne to know your voice, & to come to the lewre another time. Holding this order (es­pecially with soare Hawkes or Hawkes of the first Cote) they will learne to holde in at the voyce or sight of the lewre, yea and that with such readinesse as it will breede admiration in all them that behold it, to see the excellencie of arte, what it is able by cunning to atchieue, whiche truely dothe appeare in nothing more than in Hawking.

How to keepe a Hawke high fleeing.

WHen a Hawke is well made to the riuer, you shoulde not flee with hir aboue two flights in a morning, but feede hir vp although she kill not: but if she bee a stately high fleeing Hawke, you should not in any wise flee hir aboue one flight in a Forenoone, for it will bring hir downe, and make hir fall off hir stately pitche by often fleeing, and becomming greedy and hote of the quarrey. When a good high fleeing Hawke beeing whistled, or cast off the fiste, dothe gather vp­wards to a great gate, you must haue regard to continue hir therein, fleeing with hir vpon broade waters and open Ri­uers, eschuing little brookes and gullets, and such places as lie neare vnder couert, where there be trees, shrubbes, and bushes, in suche sort that it will be very hard to land a fowle hansom­ly from them, at least not without help of dogges and great clapping and a do. Yea sometimes eake you must of force a­light from off your Horse, all which things are able to marre a high fleeing Hawke. For asmuche as crying, clapping of hands, noyse, bawling of dogges, and alighting on foote, and furthermore when a Hawke cannot see the water vnder hir, al these things do teache hir to forget hir kindly fleeing, and to [Page 158] play the Kite, houering and winding as the Kite doth in the ayre, without any shew of state: and in twice or thrice doing so, she abateth hir gate, and marreth hir fleing. Therefore let the Falconer take good heede to that consideration, and keepe his Hawke alwayes as high fleeing as he can, suffering hir but seldome to kill and not to stoupe, beyond twice or thrice at the most, and euen when she is at the highest, let him take hir downe with the lewre: where when she hath plumed and broken the fowle alittle, let him feede hir vp, & by that meanes he shall mayntayne his Falcon high fleeing, and inward, and very fond of the lewre. Here I will not denie but that if shee kill euery day, although she stoupe from a very high gate, yet if she be not rebuked or hurt therewith, she will doubtlesse be­come euery day higher fleeing thā other, mary therwithall she will so much forget the lewre, as the more you shew it hir, the more she will bend from it, and flee out on head, from hir kee­per: and oftentimes will teach you hot poasting iourneys. Wherefore aboue all things, the high fleeing Hawke should be made inwards, and (as we tearme it) fond of the lewre, by­cause it is no lesse prayse worthy in a high fleeing Falcon to make in and turne head at y ^e second or third tosse of the lewre, and when she powreth downe like a stone vpon it, than if she had killed: nay rather suche are more esteemed than the other. And so is y ^e Falconer more prayse worthy which doth winne his Hawke therevnto. For to come vnto the lewre is a thyng taught by art and industrie, but to kill a fowle is the naturall propertie of a Hawke.

To make a high fleeing Hawke vpwards.

IT hapneth oftentimes that a Hawke (although she bee na­turally high fleeing) will yet be long before she be made vp­wards, but will fishe and play the slugge: for when she should get vp to couer the fowle, she will stoupe before the fowle bee put out, the which may proceede through two causes. Firste it maye be that shee is too sharpe sette, and the seconde cause [Page 159] may be that she is flowen withall out of time, eyther too soone or too late. So that when you see a Falcon vse those euill tat­ches without apparant cause, you shall do well to cast hir out a dead fowle or a dead Pullet for a dead quarrey (as Falco­ners tearme it,) and to hood hir vp without any rewarde, to the end she may take none encouragemēt to vse those vile tricks: for there is no greater spoyle to an high fleeing Hawke, than when she killeth a fowle from a base and lowe pitche, and so much the greater is the losse of hir by how much the more, she doth vse those vile buzardly parts. Therefore by my best ex­perience, I prayse that order, to throwe hir out a dead quarrey and hood hir vp: then afterwardes within halfe an houre, call hir to the lewre, and feede hir, and do this as often as she v­seth to fishe or to play the base slugge on that fashion, and to find whether it proceede of being too sharpe sette, or of fleeing out of time, the Falconer shall doe well with all diligence to note the naturall disposition of his Hawkes: as, whiche will flee beeing high and in good plight, and whiche best, when she is kepte lowe, whiche will flee best when she is set most sharpe and eager, and whyche contrary, and whiche in a meane be­tweene both, whiche earely at Sunnerising, and whiche when the Sunne is two houres high or more, whyche sooner, and whiche later in an euening. For the natures of Falcons are very diuers and sundrie, in suche sorte as to flee with a hawke at hir best houre and time, and to flee with hir out of that time, is a thing which will shew as great difference, as be­tweene an excellent good Hawke and a Kight. Therefore let the Falconer haue especiall regarde therevnto, setting hys Hawkes to flee according to their natures and dispositions, and keeping them always in good order. And here it is to be noted, y ^t all Hawkes aswell Sorehawkes, as mewed hawkes and haggards, should be set out in the euening two or three houres, some more and some lesse, hauing cōuenient regard to their nature, as it is stronger or weaker: and in the morning also, accordingly as they cast, hooding them first & then setting [Page 160] them abroade a weathering, vntill you get vp an Horsebacke to go to field, and so your Hawkes will always be well wea­thered and in good order These bee the best meanes and ob­seruations which I can set downe for Riuer Hawkes, whiche if it succeede wel to you, then shall you stande assured of your sport, and I of my desire.

To make a Falcon to the Hearon.

NOw to teach you to make a flight at y ^e Hearon: although it be the most noblest and stately flight that is, and plea­sant to behold, yet is there no suche art or industrie therein as in the other flights. For the Hawke fleeth the Hearon: moued by nature, as against hir proper foe: but to the riuer she fleeth as taught by the industrie and diligēce of the Falconer. Then must it needes follow, that (suche Falconers as haue flowen at the Riuer, when the end of the month of February or the be­ginning of Marche is come, a time when Hearnes begin to make their passage,) if you will make those Falcons to that flight, you must cease fleeing at the Riuer with them any lō ­ger: but you must pull them downe and make them light, the which you shall do by feeding them with no wild meates, but the harts and flesh of Lambes, Calues, and chickens, and cal­ling of them to the lewre with other make Falcons, that is to say, a cast at once, to the end they may accustom and aquaint themselues one with another, and so maye the better flee the Hearon by helping one another, & by succouring each other. Herin you must take good heede so to acquaint them that they crabbe not togither, for so would they do when they come to the flight, whereby they might be in perill to be spoyled or kil­led. When your Falcons be skowred and cleane, so as beyng sharp set, they may be called hungrie Hawkes, or (as Faulco­ners tearme thē) eagre Hawkes, you must get a liue Hearon, vppon the vpper part of whose bill or truncke you must con­uey the ioynt of a reede or Cane, so as shee may not hurt the [Page 161] hawke therewith: that being done, tie the Hearon in a Cri­ance, then setting hir vpon the ground, vnhood your Hawke, to the end that when she espieth the Hearon she may flee hir: and if she do so, make in apace to succour hir, & let hir plume, & take bloud of it, allowing hir y ^e braynes, the marrowe of the bones with the Hart altogether: (the Italians call it Soppa.) Hauing thus layde it vpon your hawking gloue, giue it your Hauke: and afterwardes rippe the breast of the Hearne, & let your hauke feede theron vntill she be wel gorged. This being doone, hoode hir vp, vpon the Hearon, suffring hir plume ther­on with all the fauour that may be: then take hir vpon your fist, and lette hir tyre a little vppon the foote or pynion of the wing. But if a Falconer haue not store of Hearons to traine withall (as often as it happeneth, by meane the fowle is rare and dayntie) then may he do thus: When he hath armed or cased the Hearons tronke with a cane or reed, as beforesayd, he may take a pece of a Calues skin, or such other like, as long as the neck of a Heron, & beginning at the head continuing to the shulders & body of the hearon, let him sew it in proportion and shape of a sheath, that it may arme the Hearons neck and head: & afterwards with a pensill, pen and inke, or such other deuice, let him paint it as like as he can to the neck and head of an Heron, with fethers & euery thing to the purpose. Then let him set the counterfeat Hearon vpon the ground, as before said: and when the Hauke dothe flee it and foote it, he muste haue a quick yong Pigeon, the which he must hansomly con­uey vnder the Hearons wyng, and let the Hauke plume and feede theron, reseruing the Hearon safe for an other tyme, and to make trayne agayne with it the nexte daye. Then hauing thervpon rewarded youre Hauke, and coyed hir sufficiently, you maye goe the next daye into a meadowe, or other conue­nient place, with your Falcon on your fyst: and giuing the Hearon armed, as beforesayde, to some other whyche maye holde it vnder his arme a good waye off from the Hawke, as halfe an Arrowe shoote or more: Then your Hawke be­yng [Page 162] vnhooded, giue signe vnto him to throw vp y ^e Hearon on high, and if your Hawke seaze it, reward and feede hir with a Pigeon as beforesayd, dealing familiarly with hir, and the third day you may do agayne in like manner, causing hym that holdeth the trayne to hide himselfe as close as he can, and to cast out the Hearon as farre from him as he may All these being done, and the Hawke hauing thus often taken hir trayne to your liking, you may the fourth day in a fayre field, put out the Hearon without Criance or arming hir at all: and when she is vp of a reasonable height, you maye cast off your Hawke, who if shee binde with the Hearon and bring it downe, thē make in apace to reskew hir, thrusting the Hearōs bill into the grounde, breake his wings and legges that the Hawke may the more easily foote and plume it Then reward hir as bountifully as you can with the braynes, the marrowe of the bones and the hart as is before declared (making hir the Italiā Soppa) many vse to make a trayne another way which doth not mislike me, and that is this: they cause one to climb a tree with the Hearon, and from thence he casteth hir out to the Hawke, and then they let their Hawkes flee as before sayde. But as touching these traynes, it behoueth that the Falconer be of good Iudgement, as also in diuers other things. For euen as the Hawke doth flee them with better or worse liste and life, so beho­ueth it that the traynes pro­uided be stronger or weaker accor­dingly. (∵)

To make your Hawke flee the wilde Hearon.

[Page 164]WHen youre Hawke will kill a trayne lustely and boldly, then may you go into the field to find a wild Hearon at siege, and whē you haue found hir, winne in as nye to hir as you can, and go with your Hawke vnder the wind, where hauing first loosed hir hood in a readinesse, as soone as the Hearon leaueth the siege, off with hir hood, and let hir flee: and if shee climb to the Hearon, and beate hir so that she bring hir downe, runne in apace to reskewe hir, thrusting the Hearons bil into the ground, and breaking hir wings and legges, (as is aforesaid) feede hir and reward hir vpon youre hawking gloue, in maner before declared. But if your hawke should fayle to beate downe the Hearon, or do giue him ouer, then shall you flee the Hearon no more with hir, vnlesse it bee with some other make Hawke, whiche is well entred and in good fleeing. And thereby the vnskilful Hawke seeing that o­ther Hawke flee at the Hearon and binde with hir, will take courage and flee eake with that other make Hawke eyther little or much, and if they kill the Hearon, then should they be fedde and rewarded togither while the quarry is hote, ma­king them an Italian Soppa as before sayd. And by this mea­nes the coward Hawke may be made bold and perfect. But if it chance that any lusty roysting Hauke wil flee the Hearon of hir selfe without trayne, or y ^e Shoueler, the Falconer, shold let hir foote it, plume, and breake it vntill she finde bloud, and shold giue hir the Soppa, as Falconers do tearme it, for so they will become much bolder and the better Hearoners also. But he that will worke surely to enter his Hawke at the Hearon, let him helpe hir by any practise or mea­nes that he can deuise: and these be the meanes and precepts to make a Falcon a good Hearoner. (∵)

Of such Hawkes as flee from the fiste, and first of the Sacre.

YOu must vnderstande that all sortes of Falcons are made too the Lewre after one selfe manner, but they are [Page 166] not hawked with all alike: for the Sacres, Lanners, Gerfal­cons, Millions, and Merlins, do not flee the riuer, vnlesse hap­pely the Laners do, which as I vnderstand do flee the riuer in Fraunce: but they flee not single, but sundry Lanners at one time, more than a cast or a leasse of them at once, and so per­aduenture do the Gerfalcon and the Million. Whereof al­though there be fewe in this countrey which are made or flo­wen withall, yet will I not spare to write what I haue lear­ned of them by heresay, beginning with the Sacre. I say that they are flowen withall from the fiste, in a playne field where there are fewest blockes, or stubbes, or such other impedimēts, but that a man may gallop freely: men hawke with them to the Hearon, the Kight, and such like, as also at Feasant, Par­tridge, Quayle, and sometimes at the Hare, but with more than one single Hawke atonce as I sayd before. And in Cy­prus they hawke with them to the Crane with the help of the peregrine Falcon in this order: When they haue founde the Crane, the Falconer doth loose his Hawkes hood in a readi­nesse (I meane the Peregrine Falcon) and drawing as neare to the Crane as he can vnder the winde, when shee riseth, hee quickly vnhoodeth his Hawke and lets hir flee, and after hir they cast off a cast or a lease of Sacres, which follow the pere­grine Falcon, that leadeth them as the more weightie and va­liant Hawke: and bycause the Crane striueth not at the en­counter in defence as y ^e Hearon doth, but always fleeth right forthwards, therefore the Peregrine Falcon doth seaze vppon the Crane, and buckling with hir two or three boundes, the Sacres make in and beate hir downe to the ground vntill the Falconers come in to reskew their Hawkes, who speedely thrusting the Cranes bill into the ground, do eftsoone breake hir wings and legges (as they do the Hearnes,) bycause they do Hawkes most wrong with their legges and feete: whiche being done, they reward and feede all their Hawkes vpon the Crane, making them an Italian Soppa vppon their hawking gloue, of the braynes, marrow, and the hart, but geuing the [Page 167] peregrine a greater reward than the Sacres, (yet with dis­cretion) they reward them all togither. Those peregrine Fal­cons which are good for the Crane, are muche esteemed in Cy­prus of great states, and so much the more, by how much they are more rare and passing in perfection. But heere amongste vs this flight is not vsed, as well for that we haue no such or­dinarie store of Cranes, as also bycause our fieldes are not so playne and free without fewell as theirs are in Cyprus. This is the order in Cyprus, but in Fraunce, the chiefe vse of the Sacre, is to kill the Kite as I haue touched, and partly made you shew in the description of the Sacre, in the former part of this collection. But by this ye see, Euery coun­trie hath his custome. (∵)

How to flee with the Lanner from the fiste.

[Page 169]LAners are muche esteemed in Fraunce, for they flee with them (a caste or more at once) to the Ryuer also. And by­cause they are hawkes (whiche mainteyne long flightes,) they tyre a fowle in suche sorte, that with dogges and hawking poles they kill many, and by that meanes they spoyle more w ^t a Laner, than with a better hawke. Thus much I haue heard by credible reports. These Laners are flowen withall at Par­tridge also and Feasant, and some saye that many of them proue very good therefore. But in Italie they vse no suche fle­ing, peraduenture bicause there is no greate skill in it. If you would flee with a Laner, you must keepe hir maruelous short and sharpe sette. For they are of the same nature that a Sa­cre, and that one (in manner) is made euen as that other is: and bicause they keepe their eastings long, by reason they are harde metteld hawkes, you shall not giue them casting of cot­ton, but of towe, or knottes of hempe, or the shauing of a Ha­sell wande. And if you giue them any Cotton casting, yet put the towe or knottes of Hempe on the outside of it, and so by­cause they take small pleasure therin, they will cast the sooner. Let this suffise to be sayde of these kindes of hawkes, bycause they are ordinary, & their natures too well knowen of all men.

To hawke with the Gerfalcon and the Mylion.

I Will speake some few words of the Gerfalcon and the Mi­lion, whiche are all (in manner) of one nature, as y ^e hawkes laste rehearsed, and are made to the lewre in the selfe same manner. These hawkes (as far as I haue vnderstoode) do not flee the Riuer, but alwaies from the fist they flee the Hearons, Shouelers, and the Kight with the forked tayle, and at suche other flightes. In going vp to their gate, they holde not that course or way whiche other Falcons do. For they clyme vp v­pon the trayne, when they finde any fowle, and as soone as they haue reached hir, they plucke hir downe, if not at the first, [Page 170] yet at the second or thirde incounter. They are fedde and re­warded as other Falcons are: they are very craftie of nature, and couet to keepe their castings long through slouth. There­fore you shall not giue them casting of Cotton, but of Towe, Hasell, or harde things, as you shall do the Sacre & Laner. And you must keepe them likewise very eager and sharpe set. It is a hawke that is flowen withall by great states, & Prin­ces moste commonly. And therefore I will write no more of it, as one that haue no greate practise thereof.

To flee with the Merlyne at the Partridge.

YF you will flee with the Merlyne at Partridge, chuse the female, whiche is the larger, for they onely will proue good therevnto. And in trayning or making the Iacke, you should but loose your time. When you haue made the female Mer­lyne to the lewre, in maner before described, and that she will likewise abyde the hoode, you muste make hir a trayne with a Partridge, if you can get any, if not, then with some other liue birde, in suche order as hath bene set downe to trayne o­ther hawkes. And if she foote and kill it, then rewarde hir, suf­fring hir to take hir pleasure on it, &c. This being done, you may strayghtwaies flee with hir the wilde Partridge: and if she take it at the first flight (whiche seldome happeneth) or if she flee it to marke and take it at the seconde flight, beeing re­tryued by the Spanels, feede hir vp vpon it with a reasonable gorge, cheering hir with your voyce, in such sort, that she may know the same. But if she proue not hardie at the first traine, then you shall do wel to proue hir with another traine, before you flee with hir at the wilde game. But if at the se­conde trayne she proue not hardie, it is a token that shee is cowardly, and no­thing woorth. (∵)

To flee with the Merlyne at the Larke and Lenet.

I Like it well that men flee with a caste of Merlynes at once at the Larke or y ^e Lenet. For ouer and besides that they of themselues loue companie, and to flee togither, they do also giue greater pleasure or delyght to the lookers on. For nowe [Page 172] that one (at the stouping) strikes the birde, and then that o­ther at hir downe come: and when that one clymeth to the mowntie aboue the Larke, then that other lyeth lowe for hir beste aduauntage, whiche is moste delectable to beholde. Yea and sometimes the poore birdes becomme so fearefull, that they shrowde themselues in the houses & chambers of suche as dwell neare the fieldes. So that both the birde and the hawke are of­tentimes takē both togither by the countryman. And therfore it shall not be amisse to tye vnto their Iesses or Bewets some vervile, bearing the armes of their owner & master (as if they were Falcons) to the ende they may be restored vnto thē. But to returne to my purpose, I saye that when the Merlynes are throughly manned, and made gentle, you may cary them into the fielde, where hauing founde a Larke or a Lenet, (making loose hir hoode) you must go as neare as you can into y ^e winde to the birde. And as soone as the birde riseth from the grounde, vnhoode your cast of Merlines, and cast them to flee vntil they haue beaten downe the Larke or Lenet, and let them feede on hir for their labour indifferently. But heerewithall note that there is a kinde of Larkes, (called cutte Larkes) whiche do not mounte as the long spurde fielde Larke doeth, but flee forheade before the Merlyn. In any case let them not flee such Larkes, for neither will they make you like pastime, nor yet cā you flee them without daunger of leesing your Merlynes.

Of the time to mewe a Falcon.

LEtte vs now speake of the order howe to mewe hawkes, and of the Mewes. Firste to speake of Falcons, they maye bee flowen withall vntill Sainct Georges daye, that is aboute the myddest of Aprill. Then sette them downe. And you muste diligently marke, whyther they haue a­ny lyse or not. And if they haue, pepper them to kyll the sayde lyse, and skowre them before you caste them into the mewe. That beeing done, you may put them into the mewe. There [Page 173] are two sundrie sortes of mewing, that is to saye, mewing loose at large, or at the Stocke: and I will firste speake of this laste kinde of mewing.

Of mewing at the Stocke, or the Stone.

THe place wherein you shoulde mew a hawke at the stocke, should be a lowe parler or chamber vpon the grounde, farre from any noyse or concourse of people, and situate towarde the North or Northeast. Place therein a table of a conueni­ent length, for the number of your Falcons, and let it bee fiue or sixe foote broade at the leaste, with little thinne bordes or planckes all alongst the sides and endes, nayled on foure fin­gers high. And lette this table be sette on trestles of twoo foote high, or three foote high from the grounde, and fill these tables with greate Sande whiche hath pretie little rounde pebble & grauell stones in it: in middest whereof you may place some greate free stones a Cubite high, made like vnto a piller, flatte in the bottom, and playne & smooth aboue, growing by pecce­meale lesse and lesse vnto the toppe of them. Wherevnto lette your hawkes be tyed, eyther Falcon, Gerfalcon, Myllion, or Merlyne. Then take a small corde of the bignesse of a bow­string, or little more, put it through a ring, and binde it about the stone, in suche sorte that the ring or swyvle may go rounde about the stone, without any stoppe or lette: And thervnto tye the lease of a Falcon, which may so stand vpon the sayd stone being sette in the sande. But you muste haue regard, that (if you mewe moe Falcons than one at once in one roome) you sette your stones one so farre from another, that when your hawkes bate, they maye not reache one another for crabbing. The greate stones are set, for that a Falcon feeling the fresh­nesse and coolenes of the stone, will delight to sitte still vpō it, & the little grauel stones are, bycause a hawke will oftētymes swallow them to coole hir within, and will keepe them some [Page 174] times twoo or three houres, or more within hir. The sand also is necessary, bicause when they bate, they shall not marre their feathers, and also bicause thereby their mewtes are the eassier cleansed, and to bee remoued from them. The little corde or bende with the ring on it, are tyed about the stone, bicause the Falcon bating this way and that way, she shall neuer twinde nor tangle, bicause the ring followeth hir still. All daye your Falcons shoulde bee hooded vpon the stone, vnlesse it be when they would feede, for then only you must take them on y ^e fiste, vntill they haue fedde. At night off with their hoodes, and bi­cause somtimes inconueniences do happen by night, the Fal­coner may do well to haue his bedde in the mewe, that he may the sooner and in tyme helpe or redresse any thing that shall happen amisse amongst his hawkes.

Of mewing at large.

IF you woulde mewe your Falcon at libertie and at large, then must you mew but one at once in one roome, and yet if the circuite of your mewe be greate & capable inough, there may two, three, or four Falcons be mewed therin wel inough (with diuisions.) The scope for one Falcon muste bee twelue foote square, & as muche in height, or thereabout, w ^t twoo win­dowes a foote and halfe broade, or two foote broade at the most. Wherof that one should open towardes the North, wherby y ^e mewe may alwaies receyue freshe colde ayre, and y ^e other to­wards the East, for y ^e heate and cōfort of the Sunne. And eche of these windowes should haue his close casementes on y ^e out side, to shut when you list, either one or both of them, according as occasion serueth. If your hawke be a madbraine Kite, & a great bater, then should it be beste that this mewe or chamber were on y ^e grounde, which if be so, you must couer the grounde with grosse sande foure fingers thicke, and therevpon sette a stone in suche sort as before sayde, bicause Falcons do couet to stande vpon a stone. And therwithall you must make hir twoo handsome perches, neare to eache windowe one, that sitting on [Page 175] that one, shee maye haue the comforte of the Sunne, and on that other, the freshe of the coole ayre, and euery weeke, or at leaste euery fortnyght, you muste sette hir a latten bason, or a vessel of ston or eartheo, and at euening fyll it with wa­ter, that your hawke may to the water, if shee desire it. And if shee doe bathe therein, then take it awaye the nyghte fol­lowing, and haue regarde that your bason, panne, or suche other vessell bee of suche byggenesse and depth, that a hawke may therein commodiously bathe at ease. Your mewe muste also haue a Portall, wherein there may be a little hole bilowe to conuey in the deuise whereon their meate is serued, called amongst Falconers, the Hacke. And that muste bee made on this fashion. Take a peece of thicke boorde, a foote and halfe long, and a foote broade, or thereaboutes, vnder the whiche fasten twoo little trestles three or foure fingers hyghe. Lette them bee faste pynned or nayled to. Then with an awger or a pearcer, boare twoo holes one eche side thereof, and through eche of these putte a shorte corde of the byggenesse of a bowe­string, with the endes downewarde, through the holes and knottes faste knitte on them vnder the button of the borde, so strayghte knytte, that you cannot rayse the corde aboue the boorde more than a fingers breadth, or theraboutes. And when you would giue your hawkes meate, take a little sticke some­what longer than the Hacke, and as bigge as your finger, but let it be of strong woodde, as Crabtree, Holly, or such like. And vpon that sticke binde your hawkes meate, & put the endes of y ^e sticke vnder the cordes, vpon the Hacke, & so conuey it into the mewe to your hawkes, bicause y ^e hawke shall not trusse or dragge hir meate away into y ^e mew, but may feede there. And assoone as she hath gorged hir & fed, take it away againe. And it is to be vnderstood, y ^t if you mew more thā one hauke single, then must you haue for euery hauke hir seuerall Hacke. And it shalbe good to kepe one set hour in feeding your hawke, for so shal they mew sooner & better: & thus may you mewe hawkes (loose & at large.) But vnlesse it be a Falcon which is so hotte [Page 176] and madbrayned, that you are forced to mewe hir so at large. In mine opinion it shall be better to mewe at the Stocke or Stone, as before sayde, or else to mewe them at the Grate (as we call it.) For in that kinde of mewing we take our hawkes on the fiste euery day, and so may see in what plight and state they be. And if they be sicke, or fallen into any infirmitie, then may you giue them suche medicines as shall be declared in the next diuision, the whiche cannot be done when you mewe at large. And therefore I commende the mewing at the Grate, bicause many times our happe is to haue Haggardes, or Pas­sengers, or Lentrers, the which haue flowen either to the Ri­uer, or prayed for themselues. So that it shall be needefull to beare them often and euery morning in the coole ayre, vntyll midde Iulie, or more, or lesse, according as you shall see them ramage and coy, yea and to call them to the lewre, and to ride abroade with them also sometimes an houre or twoo, in the freshe ayre. And it shall be a thing moste necessarie for a hag­garde or a hawke that hath prayed for hir selfe, eyther more or lesse. This I haue obserued in mine owne experience, and me thinkes it an aduertisement woorthy the noting vnto all Fal­coners. Sundry Gentlemen do vse to mewe their hawkes on the pearche, whiche truely I can moste commende, as well for that they are then assured to be cleane fedde, as also to be dayly perused for lise, wormes, and other diseases, where­to they are by nature subiect. (∵)

How to mew Marlins.

MArlins are also woorth the mewyng, if they bee hardie, and haue flowen well in theyr soreage. For although some men bee of opinion, that a mewed Marline is seldome good, and that they are not possible to be mewed: yet haue I had Marlins that (being good in their soreage) haue proued much better when [Page 178] they were mewed. So that I would wish him that hath a good Marlyn, to mew hir: for surely if you can mew them, they will proue better and better. Some men in the mew doe vse to cast meale about their Marlyns, bycause they shoulde not eate theyr feete: but aswel bycause they may eate theyr feete howsoeuer they were mewed, if that were their propertie: as also bycause in those that I haue mewed, I haue found no such cruelty vsed towards themselues: therefore I count it but a fable, nor will giue any o­ther rules in the matter, than such as I haue prescribed alreadie for the mewing of Falcons, and such like long winged hawkes.

Of Goshawkes.

YOu shall not neede to shew any other game to a Goshawke for hir first entring, than a Partridge, bycause in learning to flee the Partridge they proue most excellent. And the first yeare you shall doe best to flee them to the fielde, and not to the couert, for so will they learne to holde out, (and not to turne tayle) in the middest of their flight. And when they be mewed Hawkes, you may make them do what you will: and vnderstande you, that you shall not neede to take such paine, nor to vse such arte in making of a Goshawke which is taken a brauncher, as wyth a Nyasse, for she will alwayes knowe of hir selfe what to do. Yea and it shall be rather better to let hir bee a little rammage still, than to man hir ouer much. Hir feeding woulde be good and hote meates. And if you would instruct hir to kill great fowles, make hir traynes thereof, as I haue shewed in the treatie of Fal­cons. And if you would haue hir continue at those flightes, then you must not let hir flee any lesser fowles, for that would quick­ly marre hir. If you woulde make hir to flee with a Spanell or Dogge to helpe and assiste hir, then feede your Goshawke with great fowles, as Cranes, Wildegeese, and such like, and giue your Dogge fleshe tyed vnder the wings of suche fowles, when you trayne your Hawke with them, and let your Dogge be rewarded with the sayd fleshe, when you reward your hawke vpon the traine: and alwayes acquaint the Dog and the Hawke [Page 179] well togither. And this order you shall obserue for a month, or vntill your dogge will throughly knowe his dutie. And euer­more keepe your dogge tyed vp: for if you let him go loose, it wil marre him if he were the best that euer was. And neuer giue him rewarde of flesh, but when he maketh in at such fowles to rescue the Hawke. Call your Goshawke to none other thing than to your fist. Yet sometymes you may take hir downe with a dead Pullet, or such like. And oftentymes spowte good wine vppon your Hawkes Seare, obseruing the order to set hir to the water, as is before rehearsed in the treatise of Fal­cons. Euermore note that a Goshawke (for that she is dainty) would be cured with sweete things ministred in all suche receytes as you shall giue hir. (∵)

To make fleeing the Goshawke, either Niasse or Ramage.

YOu shall firste obserue manye things alreadie written of other kindes of Hawkes: as to seele and watch your hawke, [Page 181] winne hir to feede, to the hoode, and to the fyst, and diuerse other such points which should be but tedious to rehearse. Therfore let me write of the order howe to make a flight with a Goshawke, eyther Niasse or Ramage, the whiche is very harde to doe well. And for my part I woulde not counsell any man to trouble himselfe much with them. But if any man haue a Niasse or Ramage Goshawke, whereof he woulde see the proofe, let him man hir, and make hir to the fist: then let him enter hir first to yong Partridges, vntill it be Nouember. In which tyme the fieldes are rydde cleane, and become emptie, and the trees bare of leaues: then may you enter hir to the olde Rewen, setting hir short and eager. And if shee kill at first, or seconde flight, feede hir vp for three or foure tymes with the Partridge whiche shee hath killed: by that meanes I haue seene some of them come to good perfection.

To make the Sore Goshawke or the Haggard Goshawke.

YOur Sore Goshawkes, or your Haggardes, shall be trim­med with Iesses, Bewets and Belles, as soone as they come to your handes: and you shall by all meanes make them a­byde the hoode well, the which will be best brought to passe, kee­ping them seeled, and hooding and vnhooding them oftentymes, and teaching them to feede on the fyst three or foure dayes, more or lesse vntill they leaue theyr ramagenesse and coynesse, and be­come gentle: that being done, vnseele them at night by candle­light, causing them to plume or tyre vpon a wing or legge of a Pullet, and vse your Hawkes gently, and deale the best wyth them that you can deuise, vntill you haue throughly manned and woonne them, and that in secrete places where they may not see much light, setting them vpon a Pearche, and vsing all dili­gence to make them iumpe to the fist by little and little, vntill at last they will come three or foure yeardes from you, and feeding them most with the legges of Pullets or Calues hearts: then you may go into a Garden, or into a Close abrode, and causing [Page 182] them to feede first a bit or two vpon your fist, with their hoodes on, and afterwards asmuch with their hoodes off, cast them down fayre and softly to some Pearche, and make them come from it to your fist eyther much or little, with calling and chirping to them, saying: Towe, Towe, or Stowe, Stowe, as Falconers vse, and when they come feed them, crying and calling still to make them acquainted with your voyce. The next day you may call them with a Cryance, setting them vpon a Pearche vntill they come vnto you further off, feeding and rewarding them liberally to make them loue you. And when they come to the fist redily and without checking or ramagenesse, then lay a little from you a dead Pullet vpon the ground, the hawke sitting vpon the Perch, and calling and chirping to hir, if she come and seaze the Pullet, let hir plume hir and feede a bit or two thereon, walking aboute hir vntill you may without daunger or mouing of hir, come neare and take hir vpon your fist, and so feede hir: That beeing done, let hir tyre and plume. Here I must aduertise you that the wing of a Pullet colde, is not good feeding for a Hawke: for it will make a Hawke sicke: But the legges eyther hote or colde may be giuen. And likewise you shall marke that I would haue you cast out a Pullet to a Goshawke deade and not aliue: for these kinde of Hawkes are much enclyned of nature to play the Poulters. So that if you should vse to throw thē out liue poul­trie, it might make them sometymes when they flee turne tayle to the Partridge, and seaze the Pullets or Chickens which they shall see in husbandmens yardes and backsydes when they flee. Or in lyke maner when they are set to bathe at length of theyr loynes, the which would not onely marre them, and make them full of ill properties, but also might cause the ignorant people (as women and boyes) to kill them in steade of a Puttocke. When you haue thus called your Goshawke abrode two or three dayes vntill she be well cunning, you shall take hir on your fist, and get vp on horsebacke with hir, and so ryding with hir the space of an houre or there aboutes, vnhoode and hoode hir sometymes, and giue hir a bitte or two of meate in the presence and sight of your Spaniels, bicause shee shall not be afearde of them. That [Page 183] being done, set hir on a tree with a little short Cryance tyed to hir loynes, and going seuen or eight yeardes from hir on horse­backe, call hir to your fist with such voyce and wordes, as Fal­coners vse: and if she come, giue hir two or three bittes for re­warde, and cast hir vp againe to the tree, then throw out the dead Pullet eight or ten yeardes from hir. If she flee to it and seaze it, let hir feed three or foure bittes vpon it, ryding the meane while about hir on horsebacke, and rating backe your Spaniels, by­cause they shall not rebuke hir at first, and so make hir euer after fearefull of dogges. Then alight off your horse, gently take hir vpon your fyst, feede hir, and when you haue so done, hoode hir and let hir plume or tyre. Here I will say for mine owne opi­nion, that a deade Partridge, or a counterfeyte Partridge, made with the verie plumage, wings and tayle of a Partridge, were much better to throwe out vnto your Goshawke, bycause it woulde make hir both know Partridge the better, and poultrie the lesse.

To make a Goshawke flee to the Partridge.

WHen your Goshawke is thus manned and cunning, then may you go into the fielde with hir, carying with you a [Page 185] trayne Partridge if need be: and vnhooding your Hawke, beare hir as quietly as you can: you may lette hir plume or tyre a little to make hir eagre. And if the Partridge spring let hir flee: if she marke one or two or more on the ground, then go to hir faire and softly, and manacing hir with your hande, or with a wande, cause hir to take Pearche on some tree thereby. Then if you can retryue the Partridge with your Spaniels, as soone as it sprin­geth, you must crie Howit, Howit: and if she flee it to the marke agayne, you must put hir to a tree, and retryue it the second time, crying when it springeth as before sayde And if shee kill it, feed hir vp with it: but if so chaunce that the Spaniels should take it, as oftentymes hote Spaniels light vpon the Partridge, being eyther flowen out of breath, or otherwise surcharged with feare: then alight from your Horse quickly, and taking it from the Spaniell, cast it out to your Hawke crying, ( ware Hawke ware) and let hir feed hir fill on it. The next day you shall not flee with hir, bycause hauing fed and rewarded hir with bloudie meat, she will not so soone be in good case to flee againe. For such meate is not so easily indewed by a Hawke, as the legge of a Chicken or such like. Vsing hir thus three or foure tymes, she will be well in bloud, and become well fleeing at this pleasant field flight.

Howe to helpe a Hawke that turneth tayle to tayle, and giueth o­uer hir game.

IT happeneth oftentymes, that when you haue let your Gos­hawke flee at a Partridge, she will neyther kill it, nor flee it ot marke, but turneth tayle to tayle, as Falconers terme it: that is when she hath flowen it a bowshot or more, she giueth it ouer, and takes a tree. Then shall you call in your Spaniels to the retryfe, that way that your Hawke flewe the Partridge. And the Falconer drawing himselfe that way, may cast hir oute a quicke Partridge which he shall carie for suche purposes in hys Hawking bagge, in suche sort as the Hawke may see it, and thinke that it is the same whiche she flewe. And so crying when [Page 186] you cast it out, ware Hawke ware, make hir seaze it and feede hir vpon it, that she may be encouraged thereby to flee out with a Partridge. The day following you shall not flee with hir, as is before sayde, but prepare hir agaynst the thirde day and set hir sharpe: and if then also your Goshawke giue ouer, serue hir with a quicke Partridge againe. But if shee doe it the thirde tyme, I woulde not wishe you to trouble your selfe anye longer with suche a vile Buzarde, but ridde your handes of hir, for sure it is great oddes that shee will neuer proue good. And yet if anye man wyll trye his Hawke to the vttermoste, then let him make hir flee a Partridge whiche is flowne to the marke wyth some other well entered Hawke, at the first or se­conde flight. And if she kill that, let him feede and rewarde hir well, vsing hir to such flightes three or foure tymes, and so per­aduenture shee may learne to holde out, and mainteine hir flight the better.

When a Goshawke will not flee at all.

FOrasmuch as the Goshawkes which are taken in Septem­ber, or October, do not know their pray so well as they which are taken later, since they haue not prayed so long as those olde, it happeneth many tymes that when they are made to the first, and brought euen to the poynt to flee, if you let them flee at a Partridge, they take a tree and will not flee at all. To redresse that, you shall go into a plaine fielde where are no trees, with a quicke Partridge, the which you shal giue to some of your com­panie, your selfe shall ryde vp and downe halfe an houre with your hawke vpon your fist vnhooded: and then drawing neare to your cōpanion which hath the Partridge, when you come with­in ten or twelue paces of him, let him priuily cast out the Par­tridge, and let your Hawke flee at it: which done, rewarde and feed hir well therevpon. If peraduenture your Goshawke haue need of more such traynes, then you may cōtinue it three or foure tymes, vntill she be well in bloud with such flightes. But surely [Page 187] such Hawkes are not greatly to be regarded. The same that is sayde of Goshawkes, is to be vnderstoode also of Tercels. And alwayes remember that the next day after you haue rewarded and fedde your Hawke vpon the fowle or byrde that she killeth, feede hir the nexte daye with sheepes harte, or Hennes legges betymes in the morning, to bring hir in order agayne to flee.

To make a Goshawke flee quickly.

SOre Goshawkes (especially Niasses) are commonly verye fonde of the man, and therefore shoulde bee flowne with a little more ramage, and before they bee throughly reclaymed, for else oftentymes wythin two or three strokes with theyr wings, they will giue ouer the fowle that they flee, and returne streight agayne to theyr keeper. Therefore remember to flee with them assoone as you can, and that vntill they be perfectlye nousled and in bloud. They must also bee set in places where they see not manye folke, for feare they become verye fonde of the manne: But when they haue flowne, and haue kil­led twice or thrice, then set them where people and Dogges frequent, the whiche shall bee necessarie, to preuent the incon­uenience whiche might happen, when they are at marke neare to a house, or vpon a high way, if then they shoulde bee dis­couraged wyth sodayne sight of any persone that went by. And yet by this aduertisement of fleeyng quickly with a Sore Goshawke or a Niasse, I might make some Falconer learne a woorse mischiefe, if by fleeing ouer soone with his Hawke, hee shoulde pull hir downe, or make hir poore, the whiche woulde cause hir to become fearefull and cowardlye, and to giue ouer a Partridge, as I haue seene dyuerse, that although they were at the fyrste verye towarde Hawkes, yet after they haue beene once pulled downe, they haue loste theyr courage and goodnesse. And therefore by what meanes soeuer a Goshawke or Tercell shall become poore, it shall bee the Falconers parte fyrste to sette hir vppe agayne, [Page 188] before he flee with hir, vnlesse it bee some Goshawke (whereof there are but fewe) which will not flee when shee is hie, and in good plight. Then the Falconer may somewhat bate hir fleshe, and pinche hir with scouring, washt meate and such like deuises: But let him alwayes rather keepe his Hawke in such wise, that shee may flee when she is lustie: and therewithall let him set hir abroade (when it is not ouer colde) betymes in the morning for one houre or twaine. For beeing so weathered, when shee hath flowne a Partridge to the marke, she will not away, vntill it be retryued by the Spaniels.

That a Goshawke being a good Partridger, be not flowen with to the Feasant.

IF your Goshawke be once a good Partridger, beware that you let hir not flee the Poute, or the Feasant, for the Feasant fleeth not so long a flight as the Partridge doth. And therefore the Goshawke being naturally more rauenous and desirous of pray than any other Hawke, woulde more delight to flee a short flight to the Feasant, and will care lesse to holde out at a Partridge. True it is that some are good for both, but those are verie rare: And therefore you must haue consideration thereof, as also to keepe them in good order with fleeing, bathing, weathering, ty­ring, pluming, and dyuerse other poynts of Falconrie, the which do serue also for Tercels aswell as for Goshawkes.

How to vse a haggard Goshawke.

THe traynes whiche you vse to giue Sore Goshawkes and Niasses, are not so requisite for a haggarde. For the Sore­hawkes and Niasses when they are made to the fist, and to seaze a Pullet vpon the grounde, will then abyde and neuer sore away, and may immediately be flowen withall at a Partridge, so that you beare a liue traine Partridge with you to serue hir if neede be, as hath bene heretofore declared in entering of other hawkes. [Page 190] And the principall poynt of consideration is, that you encourage any Hawke well at the first. In fleeing with a Goshawke, it happeneth oftentymes that fleeing in the Snowe, and killing their pray vpon the grounde, they fill their Belles with Snowe, so that the Falconer cannot tell where to finde them. At suche tymes then, fasten a Bell vpon the two couert feathers of your Hawkes Stearne or Trayne, and that aloft neare to hir rumpe. For so doe the Falconers of Dalmatia vse at all times of the yeare to flee with their Hawkes. And it is a good meane to know at all times where, and what is become of your Hawke.

To flee with a Goshawke to the Riuer.

NOwe I haue (in mine owne iudgement) set downe as muche as is necessarie, to make a Goshawke perfect in [Page 191] killing of a Partridge or any other fielde flight: I will also declare howe you maye flee to the Ryuer with a Goshawke, and howe you may kill greate fowles wyth hir. A Goshawke (but no Tercell) may flee to the Ryuer at Mallacde, Ducke, Goose, Hearon, and suche lyke, whether it bee bycause she pro­ueth not to the fielde, or for any other delight that shee or hir kee­per hath to the Ryuer. And you shal holde this order in making hir, the which doubtlesse shall bring hir to perfection: For Gos­hawkes do more willingly flee suche flightes than at any other. And yet is there great difference seene in the proofe of them: for some of them proue muche hardyer and better than some other doe. Well, the Falconer shall fyrst make his Goshawke to the fist, in suche sorte as I haue prescribed, when I taughte to flee them vnto the fielde. Then muste hee carrie hir into the fielde wythoute Belles, with a liue Ducke gyuen vnto one of his Companions. And the Falconer muste haue with him a little Drumme or Taberde fastened to the Pommell of his Saddle, togither with the sinewe of an Oxe legge dryed, whiche shall serue him to strike vppon his Drumselet or Ta­berde: and causing his Companion to hide himselfe in a ditche, There hath bene vsed a kind of flight with a Gos­hawke, called the flight made to the becke, and it is like to this, but it is much surer and better. or pitte, with the Ducke tyed to a Cryaunce, his Hawke be­yng vnhooded vppon his fyst, hee shall drawe towardes his com­panion whiche standeth so hidde in couert. And when hee is neare him within two or three paces, or little more, hee shall strike vppon his Tabarde twice or thrice: and his Compa­nion hearing him, shall throwe out the Ducke aloft. And let the Falconer cast off his Goshawke to it, and if shee take it at the Sowrce, let him rewarde hir and feede hir with a reasonable gorge, making hir all the cheare that may be: then let him take hir vpon his fyst and hoode hir, suffering hir to plume or to tyre vppon a wing or a legge of the Ducke. The next day he shall not flee with hir, as before I haue admonished. But the thirde day hee may go againe in lyke maner with hys Companion, or else maye seeke some water pashet or pitte where wylde­fowle lye, as Teales or suche lyke. Prouided alwayes that hee seeke the aduauntage of his flighte, where the Banckes bee [Page 192] high: For the higher that the bankes be, the better he may come to make his flight: and in suche a place, he and his Companion, one on the one syde, that other on the other, maye ryde fayre and softly vntill they finde fowle, and yet put them not vppe. When they haue founde them, bothe of them shall drawe backe along by the Bancke, and the Hawke beeing vnhoo­ded, they shall trotte bothe of them ryght vppon the fowle with theyr Horses. When they bee neare them, hee whiche hathe the Tabarde shall beate it, so that the Fowle maye ryse, and then hee maye lette flee hys Hawke: and if shee take anye of them at Sowrce, let him make in to hir a pace, and crosse the Fowles winges, so that shee maye foote it and plume it at hir pleasure, rewarding hir as before .&c. And the better to encourage hir when hee hathe hooded hir, let him sette hir vp­pon the Fowle, and let hir plume it hir fyll, and after let him take hir on his fist, and giue hir a wing or a legge of the Fowle to tyre on: And the next day let him not flee .&c. And when hys Hawke is throughly nousled and in bloude, then hee maye flee twice in a day or oftner with hir, rewarding hir as before is ex­pressed. Vsing his Hawke thus, hee shall so well encou­rage hir, that hee maye flee the oftener wyth hir at hys pleasure.

Of fleeing the Wildegoose and Crane with a Goshauke.

SOme delight to flee Wildegeese and Cranes with a Gos­hawke, and such other great flightes. And the traine must bee made in this wise: When the hawke is made to the fist as before sayde, let him go on foote abroade into the fielde with his Gos­hawke on his fist, carying with him a Wildegoose, or a tame Goose of the colour of a Wildegoose, tyed by the tayle with a Cryaunce. And hauing sette hir on the grounde eyght or tenne Paces from him, lette hym vnhoode the Hawke, and twitche the Goose wyth the Cryaunce vntyll hee, make [Page 193] it stirre and flicker with the wings. Then if his Gos­hawke bate at it, caste hir off, and runne in to succour hir, so that the Goose beate hir not with hir wings, for discoura­ging hir. And if hee haue store of traynes, then he shall re­warde and feede hir on the braynes, hearte, and thyghe of that whiche hee trayned withall. But if hee haue no store, then it shall bee needefull to saue that for another trayne. This done, lette him closely conuey a Pygeon vnder the wing of the trayne, and rewarde his hawke therewith, as hathe beene heeretofore declared in the traynes to the Hearon. And the nexte daye lette hir not flee, but sette hir downe, &c. The thirde day he may giue hir another trayne, somewhat further off. And the thirde trayne he shall gyue it hir on horsebacke, fiftie or three score paces off at the leaste, or so farre off as hee maye come in to succoure his hawke in tyme. His hawke beeing thus trayned and entred, he may ride out with his hawke (without belles, bicause the Geese shall not ryse before the Falconer haue broughte his hawke to the vauntage) then with his Tabard to beate it vp, & so forth, whereof I haue tolde before. And hauing founde any wilde geese, he shall shewe them to his hawke, who being naturally mooued, will make from the fiste to them, and will flee lowe by the grounde, vntill she come neare them. Then the Fal­coner shall ryde after apace, and strike vpon his Tabarde, vntill hee rayse the Wildegeese. And if his hawke seaze a­ny of them at Source, hee shall quickely succoure hir, and rewarde hir, &c. But for as muche as Wildegeese will rise as soone as they see any bodie. Therefore the Falconer muste teache his hawke to take the aduauntage, whiche is thus done: As soone as hee hath founde them a farre off, lette him alyghte from his horse, and carrye his hawke vnhooded behinde his horse, stawking towardes them, vntill he haue gotten reasonably neare them, holding downe his hawke couerte vnder the horse necke or bodie, in suche sorte, that shee maye finde the Geese. Then the Falconer shall runne [Page 194] in apace, and strike vppon his Tabarde, to rayse the Geese. And if she kill any of them, rewarde hir, &c. Vsing his hawke in this order, shee may be made to kill twoo or three, or more, in a daye. And in like manner maye shee bee made to the Crane. And in like sorte may he creepe to flee at fowle which lye vpon pyttes, or pondes. First shewing them to his hawke, and letting hir drawe to them, and then running in to putte them vp with his Tabarde. But the Falconer muste take heede, that as long as hee may finde greate flightes, hee flee not at smaller fowle, to the ende his hawke may continewe the more boldly to flee greate flightes. For a man maye soone make a hawke a cowarde and a slugge. Yet some there bee, (but those are very rare) whiche fleeing at all kindes of fowles, becomme still hardyer and hardyer, and better and better. Nowe hauing wrytten sufficiently of suche flightes, I wyll passe ouer to teache the meanes to mewe a Gos­hawke.

To mewe a Goshawke.

WHen you haue flowen either with Goshawke or Ter­cell, foare, or haggarde, vntill Marche, giue hir some good quarrey in hir foote, and foreseing that she be cleane from lyse, cutte off the buttons of hir Iesses, and throwe hir into the mewe, the whiche may bee a roome either bylowe, or on the grounde, set towardes the North if it be possible. And as for the bygnesse, so that it be not too little, lette it be as large as you will, and let the pearches therein be lyned with Can­uas or Cotton, so that the hawke hurte not hir feete there­vppon: for thereby shee might catche eyther the gowte, or the pynne. Let the mewe also haue a windowe toward the East, and another towarde the North, to take freshe ayre, and the comforte of the Sunne. You shall also prouide in the same mewe, a Bason or other vessell for water, and euery three dayes at the moste, chaunge and shifte the water. And feede [Page 195] your hawke eyther with Pygeons, or with Quayles, or else with hotte fleshe of a Weather or gelded Goate, for that will make hir mewe well and quickly.

To draw the Goshawke out of the Mewe.

ABout the beginning of October, if you perceiue your Gos­hawke faire mewed, and harde penned, then gyue hir ei­ther chickens, or Lambes heartes, and Calues hearts, by the space of .xx. dayes togither, to skowre hir and to make hir slise out the slymie substance and glytte out of hir pannell, and to enseame hir (as Falconers terme it.) That being done, one e­uening you may draw hir out of the mewe, and new furnish hir with Iesses, Bells, & Bewets, and of all other things that shalbe nedefull. And when you haue seeled hir, keepe hir so see­led twoo or three dayes, vntill she will be gently hooded. And therof a Falconer ought to haue a speciall regarde. For com­monly all mewed hawkes are as coy to be hooded, as whē they were first taken. But when you haue woonne hir to abyde the hoode gently, then in an euening by candle lyght you may vn­seele hir, and the nexte daye you may go aboute to shewe hir the fiste and the gloue. And as I haue before aduised you to deale with Haggardes, or hawkes new taken from the Cage, you shall not forget to let hir tyre and plume morning and e­uening, giuing hir somtimes in the morning, when hir gorge is emptie, a little Suger Candie, for that will helpe hir mar­uelously to endewe. Sometimes also when shee is emptie in gorge, and panell, you shal giue hir skowrings of Aloes Cico­tryne, Cloues, & Stauesaker, wrapped in a little peece of Cot­tō or in Towe, or lynen cloth. But hereof shalbe written more playnely in the treatise of medicines.

To make a mewed Goshawke fleeing.

WHen the Falconer shall perceyue his Goshawke to feede eagerly, and perceyueth by his iudgemente that [Page 199] shee is enseamed, and that hee may boldely flee with hir: then lette him go into the fielde, and finding Partridge, if the hawke bate at them of hir owne accorde, it is a token, that shee is emptie, and readie to flee: but if shee bate not, then doth it betoken the contrary. Therefore in suche case feede hir still with washte meates, and things conuenient, as long as you shall thinke requisite. For doubtles if she be once through­ly enseamed and readie, shee will flee of hir owne accorde. And then if shee kill, feede and rewarde hir as hath bene before declared. But if she flee to the marke with a Partridge, then you muste retriue it, and serue hir as is also before expressed. (∵)

Howe to keepe Nyasse Sparowhawkes.

SParowhawkes are to be considered of as all other kinds of hawkes are, according to their age and disposition. Some of them are named Nyasses, some Braunchers, some Soare­hawkes, and some mewed hawkes: Some also Haggards, [Page 198] beeing mewed in the woodde, they are called Nyasses, which are taken in the eyree. Branchers are those, that hauing for­saken the eyree, are fedde by the olde hawke vpon the boughs and branches neare about the eyree, and therevpon they are called Branchers: afterwards they are called Soarehawkes. They are called Soarehawkes, bicause when they haue for­saken the woodde, and beginne to pray for themselues, they flee vp aloft vpon pleasure, which with vs Falconers is called so­ring. Mewed hawkes are all hawkes that haue once or more shifted their feathers: and Haggards are they whiche pray for themselues, & do also mewe themselues either in the woodde, or otherwise at large. To beginne with the Nyasse, whiche is of greatest difficultie to bring vnto anye perfection, you muste firste feede hir in some freshe coole chamber or parler vpon the ground. And y ^e same chamber shold haue two windowes not very large, wherof that one should open towards the North, and that other towardes the Easte, to take the freshe coole ayre, or the comforte of the Sunne at hir pleasure. These windowes muste be open, barred ouerthwarte with lathes, or thinne bordes, so thicke that neyther your hawkes maye gette oute, nor your Catte maye come in. And in this chambee caste and strewe Vyne leaues, and other freshe leaues. For it refresheth a hawke maruellousely to reste vppon them. And for the same consideration it shall not bee amisse, to sette twoo or three greate free stones in the chamber, wherevppon the Hawkes may sitte coole & fresh. You must also haue twoo or three pearches lyned or couered, one a little higher than ano­ther, so that the hawke as she groweth huger and huger, may flee from one pearche to another, and neuer hurte hir feete. And whē she is full sommed, so as she can flee, then will it be meete and moste necessarie to sette some large bason, or o­ther vessell full of water, that shee maye bathe hir at pleasure therein. For that is not onely very holesome for hir body, but also will make hir put out hir feathers y ^e better, & the fa­ster. And you shall doe well to shifte hir water euery three [Page 199] dayes. You shall feede hir with yong Sparrowes, Marte­lettes, and yong Pygeons, and sometimes with Sheepes heartes: and whyles shee is very yong and little, you shoulde cutte hir meate, and shredde it in small pellettes vpon a tren­cher, or a cleane borde for the purpose, setting it so neare hir, that shee maye reache it with hir beake, and feede. Thus you shall feede hir twice, or more euery daye, euen as you shall see hir endewe it, or (as Falconers saye) putte it ouer. Be­ware that you gyue hir not gorge vpon gorge, for that wyll make hir caste hir gorge. But when shee is full sommed, and fleeth aboute, then you shall doe better to gyue hir whole birdes, and sometimes to feede hir vppon your fiste, suffring hir to kill and strayne the lyue birdes in your hande: Yea and sometimes to put quycke birdes into the chamber to hir, that shee maye learne to knowe them, to foote them, and to kill them: and lette hir feede vppon them hir selfe in your presence. For that shall bee very good, as well to nowsel hir, as also to make hir leaue that vyle condition which common­ly all Nyasses haue, whiche is, to carry and hyde their praye in some hedge or ditche, or secrete place: and therein they will sitte very close for beeing hearde, when they heare or per­ceyue their keeper to seeke them. Wherevpon their keepers are oftentimes euill troubled and displeased. And also it shall not be amisse, euery morning to go into the sayde chamber, and to call them to the fiste, whistling and chirping with your mouth, for by y ^t meanes you shal both manne them throughly, and also you shall gayne the time which you should else spend afterwardes, in making them when they were ready to bee drawen out of the sayde chamber.

To reclayme and make the Nyasse Sparowhawke.

WHen your Nyasse Sparowhawke hath put foorthe all hir feathers, & is full sommed, then shall you take hir [Page 200] out of the chamber, and furnishe hir with belles, bewets, Ies­ses, and lynes. And by my counsell you shall also feele hir at the firste, to make hir gentle to abyde the hoode, whiche is contrarie to hir nature, and to make hir tractable to be hand­led, vsing hir fauourably and louingly alwayes: and at the firste with a hoode whiche is too greate and large, to hoode and vnhoode hir oftentimes, stroking hir heade softely with your hande, vntill shee wyll stande styll, and abyde the hoode gently. Then in an euening by lyghte of a candle you shall vnseele hir, gyuing hir somewhat to tyre vpon, handling hir and stroking hir feathers gently, sometimes hooding and vn­hooding hir. And bicause Nyasse Sparowhawkes are seldom made perfect and good without greate paynes and diligence, therfore obserue these things, and vse them accordingly, if you will haue a good Nyasse hawke.

To trayne a Nyasse Sparowhawke.

WHen your Nyasse is well wonne to the hoode, and to the fiste, lette hir kill small birdes vppon your fiste, then call hir twoo or three dayes togyther, vntill shee wyll come farre off. Then you muste take a quycke Pygeon tyed by one foote with a Cryaunce, and stirre it vntyll your hawke wyll bate at it, and seaze it, though not farre off, yet as you may, and helpe hir at the firste, leaste the Py­geon struggling with hir, be too strong, and discourage hir. Then lette hir plume hir and foote hir, and feede hir there­vpon with as muche fauour as you maye, and whistle to hir, to make hir knowe your whystle, vntyll shee haue taken a resonable gorge. Then hoode hir vp, and lette hir plume or tyre a lyttle afterwardes. They daye following you shall call hir to the fiste, and shewe hir a lyue Pygeon, so neare that shee maye reache at it with hir beake. Then caste it oute before hir, vntyll shee flee it, and take it.

That done, rewarde hir, &c. Agayne you shall another [Page 201] tyme throwe oute a chicken before hir, and if shee take and foote it, rewarde hir, &c. Afterwardes you shall cause one to hide himselfe close in a ditch or pitte, and throw hir out a Pigeon or Pullet, if she take it, reward hir and feede hir vp with the braynes, hart, and a legge or a wing, whistling, chir­ping, and speaking to hir to encourage hir: and this order you shall obserue awhile, stil seruing hir with greater and greater traynes: for by that meanes you shall giue hir courage to flee, yea if it were at a Feasant, for that chickens are some of them not much vnlike a Feasant poult. As also vsing hir to greate chickins, shee will neuer couet to carry as shee would do if you trayned hir with smaller birds, which is a thing woorthy the obseruation, as you shall find by experience. And when you haue giuen hir sufficient traines of chicken and such like, you shall one day set hir sharp, then take a Quayle tied in a Criance, and in a playne meadowe: First shew hir vnto your Sparowhawke, then throw it vp aloft and cast your Hawke off handsomly after hir, and if she take it, reward hir with the braynes to nousse and encourage hir, but feede hir with the legge of a chicken or Pullet, and deale daintely with hir. The next time you may trayne hir with a Quayle withoute a criance, the which hauing a legge broken, and two feathers pluckt out of each wing, giue it to another which may closely throwe it out to hir, and feede hir vp therevppon with a good gorge. Being thus oftentimes trayned, you may ride out in­to the fields about nine of the clocke, where calling your spa­rowhawke to youre fiste and giuing hir a bitte or two of meate, go with your Spaniels to seke some Beauie of yong Quayles, aduauncing your fiste aloft, that your Hawke may see them when they spring, and let hir flee with aduauntage at the firste. If she kil, reward and feede hir, &c. but if she misse, or that you find no yōg Quayles, then serue hir with a trayne of a Quayle as is often before sayd.

How to hawke with a Sparowhawke being made.

WHen your Sparowhawke is once made, you may goe freely into the field: and if you find any yong Quaile let hir slee thereat with asmuch aduauntage as you can: and if she take it, reward and feede hir &c. Remember that at first entring of your Hawke you hold your fiste aloft alwayes, as­well bycause youre Hawke maye see the game spring, as also that she may learne to haue an eye to the Dogges, the whyche you shall alwayes cause to hunt on your right hand whē they raunge, but especially when they quest and call, to the ende you maye the better and at more aduauntage cast off youre Hawke whē you let hir flee. And when your Sparowhawke doth know hir game and how to flee, then may you flee more than one flight in a forenoone or an afternoone, so that always you giue hir some smal reward at euery flight that she killeth. And bycause it behoueth muche alwayes to encourage youre Hawke, and to keepe hir well nousled, you shall doe well euer to carrie a liue Quayle with you, that if you find none, or flee and misse, you may therewith trayne or serue youre Hawke accordingly: and you maye cause it so to be cast out vnto hir, that she will thinke it is sprong with the Spanells. As also I would wish you euermore to keepe aliue the secōd Quaile that you shall take, and keepe it in your hawking bagge, so as if neede be, it may serue you at night or at any time to reward your Hawke with: for keeping your Hawke in this order, she can neuer lightly be discouraged. And when youre Hawke is throughly entred and perfectly well in fleeing, and well nou­sled, then you shall hold your hande lowe, whereas before you held it aloft. For your Hawke being much quicker sighted thā you are, she will sooner see the game spring also, and bate at the whurre, as we tearme it: then before the Hawke can reeo­uer your fiste, the game is flowen farre off to hir great disad­uantage: yea although you should let hir go when she bateth, [Page 203] yet shall she not flee with such aduauntage as you might lette hir flee when she and you both spied the game spring at once. He therefore that will be a perfect keeper of a Sparowhawke or such like, must haue a quicke eye, and a good consideration and regard to the Spanells, keeping them still as neare as he can vpon his right hand, and hold his hande lowe, bycause hys Hawke shall not bate at the game before he see it. And also it shall not be good to be ouer neare the Dogges, but ra­ther a little aboue them, that you maye let youre Hawke flee coasting at the vantage when the game springeth, and al­wayes to be quicke of eye and nimble of hand, for he that is not so, nor regardeth the aduauntages of a flight, shall hin­der hys Hawke whereas hee myghte further and helpe hir.

How to make a Sparowhawke, being ey­ther Sorehavvke, ramage, or me­vved Hawke.

NOw I haue spoken at large of Nyasse Sparowhawkes, it were meete that I should set downe some instructions also concerning Ramage Hawkes, and suche as are taken when they haue prayed for themselues. And yet in effect the same precepts that serue for a Nyasse, wyll serue also for ramage Hawkes and mewed Hawkes. But yet they, (I meane ramage and mewed Hawkes) require not so muche payne to make them know their game nor to enter them, by­cause they haue bene practised in praying for themselues, and the Nyasses are altogether ignorant and simple: so that the Nyasses must be taught to knowe their game, in a manner, euen as they are taught by the breeder in the wood, the whyche (as I haue heard old Falconers tell) when hir yong Hawkes go out of the nest and can hoppe or flecke from one bough to another, commeth in with some pray vnto them, and calling [Page 204] them altogether, she fleeth aloft and lets the bird fall amongst them, so that which soeuer of them catcheth it with hir talēts, feedeth vppon it for that meale, and then returneth the olde Hawke for some pray, vntill she haue fedde them all & taughte them to foote their pray And therefore when a man hath them Nyasse which neuer wer taught so by the breeder, he must pra­ctise as neare as he can like the old Hawke, to teache them to foote and to kill their pray and to know it, the which you shall not be troubled with in a soare rammage or metred Hawke. For they whiche beare those names, haue learnt to praye for themselues: and most of all the mewed haggard Hawkes, for they are throughly nousled and trayned therein, yea and most commonly they haue learnt such conditions, that with all the paynes we can take, fewe of them can be brought to any good perfection. But he whiche hathe a Haggard Sparowhawke, must aboue all things take paynes in weyning hir from that vile fault of carying, and that shall he do by seruing hir often with great Pullets, and other great traynes the which she cā ­not carrie, and therby, she will learne to abide vpon the quar­rey. Also they whiche delight in Haggards, must take greate heede that they offend them not, but rather coye them as much as they can with all deuises of fauor & cherishing, for they wil remember fauor or iniurie muche better than any other kynde of Hawke. And of the same condition are Lentmers for the most part, the whiche are called with vs March Hawkes, or Lentmers, bycause they are taken in Lent with lime or suche like meanes. And the Italians call them Marzarolli, bycause they are taken in March or thereabouts: so that the Etymolo­gie of the name proceedeth all vpon one cause, and they are called so whether they be Soare Hawkes or mewed hawkes. Neither is there any great difference betwene them and hag­gards for euill conditions, but the Lentmers are more sub­iect to moyst humors, and especially in the head, and therefore you must plie them with casting and skowring, as shall bee more at large declared in the treatise of medicines.

Certayne obseruations for an ostreger in keeping of a Goshawke.

MAny times it hapneth y ^t a Goshawke or a Tercell whiche was good in hir Sorage, doth become nothing so toward or good when shee is mewed: and that proceedeth bycause in hir soarage she was not cherished to make hir take delight in [Page 206] hir flight: for in a manner all the skill of a Falconer or Ostre­ger consisteth in coying and delicate vsage of his Hawke, and so cherishing hir, that she may take pride and pleasure in hir flight. Therefore I woulde not thinke it amisse if hee had al­ways at the first entring of his Goshawke or Tercell, a traine Partridge in his bagge, to serue hir with, when neede dothe require, and so he shall winne hir loue. And therewithall lette him marke these obseruations, to keepe his Hawke in good tewne alwayes. First let him consider that naturally all Gos­hawkes are full of moyst humors, and especially in the head: and therfore let him plie them with tiring, and plumage, both morning and euening, for that will open them in the Head, and make them cast water therat. Let the Goshawkes tiring be the rumpe of a beefe, or y ^e vppermost ioynt of a wing which we call the pinion, or a chickens legge, giuen by the fire or in the warme Sunne. This will not only keepe your Hawke o­pen in the head, but also keepeth hir in exercise and vse and frō slouthfulnesse, which might marre hir & vtterly spoyle hir.

It is good also to giue hir euery nighte casting eyther of feathers or of cotton, and then in the morning to marke whe­ther it be wrought round or not, whether it be sweete or not, whether it be moyste or drie, and of what colour the water is that droppes out of the casting, for thereby hee shall iudge in what case his Hawke is. He shoulde also haue regarde to hir mewtes, to see whether they be cleane or not, and therevppon he may giue medecines accordingly, as shalbe hereafter decla­red. For the infirmitie of a Hawke being once knowen, it is the more easily cured. He hath also to consider the season: for in the winter and colde weather, he muste sette his Hawke or Tercell warme, in some place wher fire is made: he must rolle the pearch with cotton or some suche like thing, and the pearch must be set farre from the wall that his Hawke hurt not hir feathers when she bateth: but if it be not colde, he may set hir euery morning in some place where the Sunne hath power for an houre or two.

[Page 207]Remember that no Hennes or pultrie come neare y ^t place where your Hawke shall pearch, and especially in Lent when Hennes haue yong chickens commonly following them.

Remember also in the spring to offer your Hawke to the water euery weeke, for else she wil soare away whē she fleeth, and make you seeke hir.

If your Hawke bathe hir at any time of hir owne accorde after hir flight, go presently to the next house with hir, (if it be in Winter or cold weather) and weather hir by a fire with hir backe to the fire, and not hir gorge, for that woulde make hir sicke. And likewise drie youre Hawke if you haue caried hir in the Rayne. Let a good Falconer or Ostreger alwayes keepe his Hawke lustie and high, and yet keepe hir in suche tewne that she may flee best when she is high: for doubtlesse the plucking downe of a Hawke dothe marre hir and make hir cowardly. Aboue all things an Ostreger must bee patient and neuer chollerique.

A good Ostreger muste also keepe his Hawke cleane, and hir feathers whole, and if a feather be broken or brused, hee must ympe it presently, as shall be taught herafter also in this booke, and therefore he must haue his ymping needles, his Semond, and suche other things about him euermore in a readinesse. (∵)

Certayne obseruations concerning Sparowhawkes.

SEt youre Sparowhawke euery morning abroade in the Sunne two houres or neare there aboutes, and set hir in the water twice in a weeke at the least, and especially Nyas­ses, for they couet y ^e water more thā the rest. Soare Sparow­hawkes [Page 209] would not be flowen withall too soone in a morning, for they soare willingly. Take your Sparowhawke from the pearch alwayes with somewhat in your hande, to make hir loue you and be fonde of you, for that is a thing of no small importance and cōsideration. As also to make your Sparow­hawke foote great fowles, to the end the may not learne nor be accustomed to carrein. And as touching mewing of a Spa­rowhawke, some vse to put their Sparowhawke in the mew assoone as they leaue fleeing with hir, cutting off both hir be­wettes, lines, and the knottes of hir Iesses, and leaue hir in the mewe vntill she be cleane mewed. But if you will haue hir to flee at Partridge, Quayle, or Feasant poult, then you muste drawe hir in the beginning of Aprill, and beare hir on the fiste till she be cleane and throughly enseamed. Some other keepe their Sparowhawkes on the pearch vntill March, and then throwe hir into the mewe being peppered for lyse if shee haue any. Hir mewe should be a chamber aloft from the grounde eight or nine foote long, and fiue or sixe foote brode, with two windowes, to the East and the North, as is before declared in the description of the mewe for a Goshawke: and set hir per­ches and al other things euen as for a Goshawke, sauing that the mewe muste haue one little windowe to conuey in hir meate at. And your Sparowhawke being thus prouided of hir mewe, go in to hir in Maye in an euening by candlelight, and taking hir softly, giue hir to thy companion to hold, vntill thou haue pulled out all hir traine feathers one after another, holding the principall feather with thy one hand (whiche Fal­coners do call the couert feather) and plucking out the other feathers with that other hande, for so shalt thou doe hir least hurt: and this shall make hir mewe the faster, if thou feede hir with hote meate and birds, and alwayes keepe an houre cer­tayne to giue hir hir meate. Some will set water in the mewe by their Sparowhawke continually, shifting and renewing the water euery second or third day. Some set water before a Sparowhawke in the mewe but once in a fortnight, and then [Page 210] take it away againe within .xxiiij. houres after they haue set it there. Some will neuer set water before their Sparow­hawkes at all when they mewe them, saying that Sparow­hawkes are very hote, and plucke out their owne feathers for extreame heate, and that therefore water is not to bee giuen or allowed them, bycause it killeth and delayeth the heate in them, which should further their mewing. I like that opini­on: But for mine owne part and experience, I woulde leaue the extremities and take the meane. And I woulde thinke it best to set water before a Sparowhawke in the mewe, once in xiiij. dayes at the least, or oftner, if y ^e Hawke seeme to haue neede, the which you shall easely perceyue, if she haue any fea­thers or downe that stand staring vp on hir backe, and when she sitteth alwayes as though shee woulde rowze, or is twit­ching at hir feathers with hir beake, then set hir water: but to set it by hir continually, dothe foreslowe hir mewing: and too keepe it alwayes from hir, doth make hir that she meweth not hir feathers so cleane or so gallantly, as when shee may haue water once in a fortnight. As touching remedies for Hawkes that be slowe of mewing, it shall be set downe in the trea­tise of medicines in this booke also. (∵)

Of the diseases and cures of Hawkes. The opinion of master Francesco Sforzino Vicentino, an Italian Gentle­man Falconer.

IT doth belong to a good and skilfull Falconer, not alone to knowe all kinds of Hawkes, and to haue the cunning how to reclayme, keepe slee, ympe, & mewe the sayd Hawkes, with sundry other like matters incident and appertayning to Fal­conrie: but it is very necessary and behouefull for him to haue knowledge and good experience in their diseases and cures: for that they are birds subiect to sundrie maladies and acci­dents, the cure of all whiche dothe rest in the carefull keeper. Wherefore hauing (vnlesse I flatter my selfe) in the former parts of this collection, performed my promise, made in the very entry and beginning of this booke, as touching Hawkes, and other matters belonging to the misterie and skill of Fal­conrie: it is only left now, and I rest charged, with their dis­eases and cures, to decipher vnto you the meane to know the maladies, as also a methode to recouer them: wherein if hap­pelie [Page 214] any man desire a more ample discourse, of y ^e natures & o­riginal causes of those diseases, thā herein I shall bewray, let him know & bethink himself y ^t I am neither profound Philo­sopher nor learned phisitiō by professiō, but y ^t in these I deale as a Falconer, manifesting & making shewe of cures proper & peculiar to euery disease, wherw ^t I cold euer yet find a Hauke charged, & such as may light vpō any kind of Hawke, by mis­fortune & casualtie. And as touching remedies for their mis­cheefes, I meane to speake of very few which I haue not sun­drie times approued w ^t very good successe, wherefore I say, y ^t Hawkes may be diseased and vnperfect, eyther in body or fea­thers, which I intend & meane, whē they are vnable by any e­uil aceidēt to performe their parts and dueties in any cōditi­on, as not to be able to flee, or strayn y ^e pray w ^t their pownces, or any such like actiō, which by nature they ought to perform.

In body they are diseased, eyther by some outward cause, as by a stripe, or bruse: or else by some hiddē & inward euill, as by corrupt & contagious humors, proceeding either of too gret heate & moysture of y ^e head, or otherwise ouermuch drought & siccitie of y ^e Liuer & inward partes, frō which procedeth many times, the Pantas, & shortnes of breath, & other perilous euils, whereof I meane to write in their peculiar places heereafter.

Again, Hawkes are accustomed to be ill affected & diseased (as I may tearme it) in their feathers, for y ^t diuers times be­ing sound of body, & in perfect state of health, yet they cannot flee or stirre their wings, by mean of some brokē or sliued fea­thers, & especially y ^e flagges, lōg feathers, or sacels, which sun­dry times are broken eyther in y ^e quill, being bloudie feathers, or neare the top or poynt of the feather: the remedie for whiche mischiefe & euill accidēt, I will reserue to the last part of this treatise, as a matter meetest for y ^t place. But bycause the mis­chiefes and diseases that grow within the bodies of Hawkes, may best be discerned & knowē by their excrement, and by that which commeth frō them, as namely, by y ^e casting & muet of a Hawke. Therefore I accompt it most expedient, to haue good iudgemēt, to distinguish & know the diuersitie and difference [Page 215] thereof, the better to come by the true knowledge of the disea­ses, wherby, ther may in good time be had a conuenient reme­die for the euill. Wherfore let vs first speake of their castings.

How to knowe the health and disease of a Hawke by hir casting.

FAlconers do vse to giue two sorts of casting to their hauks, eyther plumage, or cotton & bicause most cōmōly they giue y ^e Falco pellets of cottō for hir casting, I wil first speak therof.

You must make choyce of fine, soft, white cotto, & therof fa­shiō & frame your casting as big as a great nutte, & at euening cōuey it into hir gorge, after you haue inpt hir: & in y ^e morning betimes make diligēt search to find it, to peruse it in what ma­ner y ^e hauke hath rolled, & cast it, bycause thereby you shal per­ceiue hir good or euill state: for if she cast it, round, white, not lothsome in smell, & not very moyst or waterish, it is a mani­fest token y ^t she is sound. But otherwise, if she rolle not hir ca­sting wel, but cast it lōg, not white, stincking, very moist & sli­mie, it doth argue, y ^t she is full of diseases, as I shal more spe­cially declare vnto you eftsone. You must obserue this, y ^t these castings do import & betokē y ^e greater euil, by how much more they do resemble y ^e muet of a hauke in colour & smel. For by y ^t, they do make shew y ^t your hauke doth abound w ^t too much euil humor. Wherfore you must y ^e more diligētly mark it, & wring it betwixt your fingers, to see, how much, & what kind of moi­sture doth drop frō y ^e casting, & withall note the smell & colour therof. But now it is high time to procede to a more special de­claratiō of those castings, y ^t you may be ꝑfect in each cōditiō.

Of naughty castings.

IF your hawkes casting be long, not wrought round, and be full of water, how much more long and moist it is, Blacke cae­sting. so muche more it betokeneth the hauke to be diseased. And againe if so it be blacke, & stincking, so much the more the hawke is in euill case & state. Al, and euery of these signes, do yeeld a shew and proofe, that the hauke hath bin fowle fed, & with corrupt fleshe. Wherefore, to remedie thys mischeefe, you muste feede hir with hote Birdes, as Swallowes, Sparrowes, yong [Page 216] Doues and suche like, giuing them aliue, or as soone as they are killed.

But if it so happen, for all this care and good intendaunce, that the casting continue at one selfe stay, and be like euill in shewe, then must you needes giue your Hawke a skowring, according to arte, such as I will teach you to make hereafter.

Greene ca­sting.If your Hawkes casting be greene, it is a signe that she is ill affected and diseased in the Liuer, the cure whereof I wyll referre to a peculiar Chapter for the same euil. But know ne­uerthelesse, that Hawkes, when they are ramage, diuers times doe cast suche like greene castings as I speake of, and make suche muets, by reason of some wild foule that they haue kil­led, and prayed vpon at their own pleasure, or otherwise haue had the same giuen them by Falconers. And a man neade not greatly force thereof, for that with good feeding, they will lightly be recouered, and ridde of this disease.

Yellowish black casting.When the casting happeneth to bee yellowish blacke, and very moist and slimie, it argueth youre Hawke to bee stuft with euil humors, proceeding of too greate heate, or of immo­derate and ouergreat flights, or too much bating. For recoue­rie of which euill, you must as spedelie as you maye, bestowe good feeding vpon your Hawke, and coole hir, by washing hir meate in good freshe water, as endiue water, or suche like, as shall best please the fancie of the Falconer, allowing hir be­sides, one or two, or moe castings of cotton: into whiche you must conuey very excellent good Mummy beaten into pouder, and otherwhile among incense, vsed in like manner. But if it so fal out, that your Hawke continue hir ill casting, for al this remedie it shall not be amisse, for twice or thrice to giue hir this kind of casting, or vpward scowring euery other day.

Take Aloes washt, & beaten to powder, one scruple, pow­der of Cloues foure graynes, of Cubebes beaten to powder three graynes: all whiche beeing well confected, and made in mixture, enwrappe in a peece of cotton, and giue your Hauke being emptie and hauing no meate aboue or in hir pannell. [Page 217] And I nothing doubte, but vsing this order which I prescribe you, your hawke shall recouer in short space. In any case you muste be circumspect and heedefull, hauing a hawke thus dis­eased, to marke diligently whither she do mend or payre, whe­ther she waxe hye, or abate hir fleshe. For that according as she shall do any of these, it shall be necessary for you, eyther to augment or decrease your skowring, and hir feeding. And be­leeue me, I knowe this by experience, that sundry hawkes do perishe more by being ouer poore and lowe brought, throughe negligence of ill keepers, that make slender regarde of them, thā by the extremitie of the disease. This shall be sufficient as touching castings of Cotton, whiche (as I sayde before) were peculiar to Falcons.

Falconers are accustomed to giue their hawkes casting of plumage, sometimes being emptie aboue, Casting of plumage. and eake in feeding to suffer thē to take fethers, but specially to Sparowhawkes. They giue them io [...]es of wings of small birdes, & Quailes, when they haue fedde them, tearing them out with their teeth, and plucking away the longest feathers, and so giue it.

These castings, in the morning being wrought round, and caste without any ill sauour or slinke, do make euident shewe that the hawke is sounde: and howe muche more rounde and sweete they are, the better token of the hawkes good state. But contrariwise, if the casting bee long, slimie, and rammish in smell, with some small partes of the fleshe vndisgested, clea­uing to the same, and withall frothie, hauing a kinde of fome sticking on it, all these things togither, and euery one speciall by it selfe, do importe the disease of the hawke, and make full shew of hir ill state. And therefore that she standeth nedeful of a good skowring, and good intendance, as I sayde before.

The waye to knowe in what tune hawkes are, by their mewting.

WIth that helpe and lighte that I haue alreadie gyuen you, by the hawkes casting, if you diligently obserue [Page 218] the mewte, you shall easily prognosticate and foresee hir euill, and any suche disease as your hawke is affected with. The good mewte. For if the mewte be white, and not ouerthicke, nor ouercleare, and besides not hauing any blacke spotte in it, or at the leaste but little, it is an euidente proofe that the hawke is excellently in tune, and not diseased. But if it be white, and very thicke in the middest, well it maye importe healthe, but it argueth the hawke to be ouergrosse, and too full of greace. And therefore it shall be needefull to cure that mischiefe, by gyuing hir liquide and moyst meate, as the heart of a Calfe, Lambe, or such like. And for one or twoo mornings, to allow hir (being empty and hauing nothing aboue to put ouer) a quantitie of suger Can­die, which wil skowre hir, & make hir slyse, or else a gutte of a chicken well washt, of a conuenient length & size, full of good oyle Oliue, well clarified in water, in suche sorte as heereafter I shall instruct you.

It is easily founde, when a hawke is ouergreasie, and not enseamed, by hir mewte, when it is white with some blacke in it, whiche euill is easily remooued, by gyuing hir hot Spa­rowes, and yong Pygeons.

The euill mewte.But if hir mewte be white, entermedled with red, yellowe, grey, or such like colour, it is a signe that the hawke is very ill and diseased, and moreouer y ^t she standeth nedefull of a skow­ring, as of Mummy purified & beaten to pouder, wrapping it in cotton, or some suche like matter, to set the gorge & stomake of your hawke in tune agayne, and other inwarde partes, as hereafter I shall make further shewe of in a place meete for y ^t speache and discourse. Assuredly, when you see your hawkes mewte so full of diuers colours, it is very necessary for you to respect hir cure, and to endeuour your selfe to remedy that mis­chefe, or otherwise she muste nedes perishe vnder your hand, for that those are very deadely signes and proofes of the yll state of your hauke. The white and yellowe mewte.

The white mewte, hauing a greater part of yellowe in it, than of any other coloure, doeth euidently make shewe, that [Page 219] the Hawke is surcharged with cholericke humoures, caused and engendred by ouer-greate flyghtes, when you flee with your hawke in the heate of the daye, as also of ouermuche ba­ting. Whiche euill you maye prouide for and eschewe, by gy­uing your hawkes meate washt in cold waters, as Buglosse, Endyue, Bourage, and suche like holsome colde waters, very medicinable for that mischiefe, alwayes remēbring to strayne the hawkes meate, and wring it in a lynnen cloth, after you haue washt it in the waters aforesayde.

And if this fall not oute in proofe to your contentmente, then if you can gyue your hawke a quantitie of Agaricke in a skowring, for the space of one morning or twoo, not suffring hir to flee, or do any thing, but do set hir downe. There is no question, but by the care and diligence of suche a keeper, your hawke shall quickly recouer.

The mewte of a hawke, whiche is very blacke, The blacke mewte. declareth hir lyuer to bee infected, and is the moste deadely signe of all others. For if it continewe three or foure dayes, moste assu­redlie the hawke wyll pecke ouer the pearch, and dye. But if it bee so but once, and no more, it greatly skylles not. For then may it proceede of one of these two causes: eyther for that the hawke in pluming and tyring on the fowle, hath taken of the bloude or guttes of the praye, whiche is a matter of nothing: or else bycause shee hath bene gorged with filthye meate. In this case, it behooues you to respect hir, and to allowe hir good warme fleshe, and a cotton casting, with Mummy, or the pou­der of Cloues and Nutmegges, with a small quantitie of Ginger, to set hir stomack in tune agayne.

A greene mewte is also a signe of an infected and cor­rupte lyuer, and happely of some Apostume, The greene mewte. vnlesse shee make that kinde of mewte vppon this occasion, that shee hath bene gorged with some wylde and rammish meate, or hir selfe be a rammage hawke: for then this rule doeth not holde. You must looke to this euyll as soone and with as great speede as you possible may, feeding hir with meate all powdered with [Page 220] Mummie prepared, if she will take it with hir flesh, as diuers hawkes will do of themselues: but if not, then must it be gi­uen hir in a casting, or some skowring, continuing it in this manner, sometimes after one fashion, sometimes after ano­ther, vntill you finde the mewte to be chaunged from the badde colour to the better. But when this mischiefe doth procede, and continewe long space, then shall you bee fayne to bestowe on hir a skowring of Agaricke, to rydde those euill and noysome humors whiche do offende your hawke, and after that another skowring of Incense, beaten into pouder, to recomfort hir.

The mewte that is vndis­gested, and tending to redde.The mewte that is not perfectly digested, tending to redde, and that is full of small woormes, like vnto fleshe, not perfectly digested and endewed, gyues manifeste proofe, eyther that the hawke is not well in hir gorge, or else that she hath bene fedde with ill and corrupte meates, colde and stinking, and vnhol­some for a hawke.

This euill may bee cured and helped, with good warme meates: and besides that, with skowrings of Woormeseede enwrapped and conueyed into Cotton, or Lynte. And it shall not bee amisse to gyue hir a skowring of pouder of Cloues, Nutmegges, & Ginger, whiche doth maruelously strengthen, and set the gorge in time.

Of the darke sanguine mewte.The darke sanguine mewte, with a blacke in it, is the most deadely signe of all other, & I do not remēber that euer I saw Hawke make that kind of mewte, but she died. Yet neuerthe­lesse a man ought not therefore in that case to gyue ouer his hawke, and to dispaire of hir, but rather to allowe hir of that receyte and medicine, whiche earste Iherom Cornerus, that no­ble man, and cunning Falconer made, or else that whiche was deuised by Signor Manolus the Greeke, whiche I haue manie times experimēted in Falcons, not without good successe, and greate commendation. And therefore hereafter I will laye it downe for your better knowledge and practise, as the excellēt deuises of moste skilfull men in Falconrie.

And yet for all this, it may be, that a hawke doth make the [Page 221] like mewte that I wrote of, by meane of tyring on a fowle, and taking the bloude of it, and of the raynes & guttes, which if do happen, it is a matter not to be regarded.

I haue sundry times seene the mewte of a hawke greye, The greye mewte. like mylke when it is turned and waxen sowre, whiche truly is a deadlie token, and signe of greate daunger. Yet it shall not be amisse, to vse the receyte whiche I lately spake of, de­uised by those Gentlemen Falconers aforesayde.

By this whiche I haue spoken, as touching the mewtes of hawkes, it maye bee gathered howe greately it doeth im­port, and howe behoouefull it is for a Falconer, or Ostreger, for the better cure of his hawkes, to peruse euery morning w ^t great care the mewte of his hawkes. For that it doth greatly concerne the good health and state of them, to finde out at the firste their indisposition and diseases, before they be too deepe­ly rooted and confirmed in them, when truely it wyll prooue a very harde and difficult matter to remoue the euill.

But nowe I accompte it hygh time to proceede, and de­scende to the knowledge and particular cure of the ordinarie euills and diseases, whiche do plague and pester hawkes. In whiche discourse, to obserue some methode and order, I wyll speake generally of all infirmities and yll accidentes happe­ning to the bodies of hawkes, as namely of the Feuer, and so consequently of euery speciall disease that belongeth to eache particular member of a hawke, as well those that are within the bodie, as withoute: And besides all these, of the gorge, guttes, and lyuer, of the stripes and bruses that happen to hawkes: and lastly of their feathers, and other euils. Laying downe to your viewe in the latter parte heereof, suche instru­mentes and tooles, as Falconer do vse to cauterize their hawkes withall, with suche other ordinarie reme­dies, as they do commonly bestow vpon their diseased and sicke Hawkes. (∵)

Of the Feuer or Ague, wherewith Hawkes are wont be mo­lested and troubled.

I Haue noted and obserued, that the Feuer happeneth vnto Hawkes, by reason of some smal colde, and heate ensewing the same. And verely in myne opinion, it doth much resemble the Tertian, wherewith we our selues are dayly vexed. You may easily gesse this griefe, whē you see your hawke shake & tremble, and presently after holde hir wings close vnder hir trayne, slouping downe with hir heade to groundewarde. And besides all these tokens, you haue one more, which is, that your hawke will haue hir barbe feathers vnder hir beake sta­ring, and out of order, and sometimes eake she will-refuse hir meate. And if happely you touche hir with your hande, you shall feele sensibly the extremitie of heate that doth surcharge hir. All, or the moste part of these signes, do euidently argue your hawke to bee troubled with a Feuer, a very daungerous griefe, but not altogither deadely, for that I haue seene many hawkes recured of this disease. Wherfore all your care must bee, to coole and refreshe hir, bycause in deede the Feuer is no­thing else but an inordinate heate. In this case, hir feeding muste bee, either the legge of a chicken, or a yong Pygeon, or some other small fowle, but Sparrowes laste of all, for they are not to be allowed in the beginning of the disease, for their great heate. And you must remēber to washe hir meate in the water of Buglosse, or Endiue, or in a mucillage of Psillin, in y ^e iuyce of Cowcumbers or Mellons, and afterwards drye it in a cloth, & so giue it hir to feede on. Moreouer you must (if you do wel) bathe the perche, & also hir legges in the Sommer with Plantaine water, (or for want of y ^e water, with y ^e very iuyce of it) w ^t Lettice water, or Nightshade water, and sometimes among with the iuice of Henbane, Lettice water, Nenuphar, Howsleeke, & suche other cooling deuises, to delaye hir inordi­nate heate & inflamation, setting hir in some out place where the ayre is fresh, but not where she may take the ayre to much, [Page 223] for y ^t may breede a further incōuenience. If your sicke hawke be very lowe brought in state, you muste allowe hir a gorge twice a day, but with discretion & iudgement, not giuing hir ouermuche at one tyme. And if so the Feuer cease not by these practises aforesayde, it shalbe well done to giue your Falcon of excellent good Reubarbe, finely beaten to pouder, twoo scrou­ples, in a Cotton casting, to purge & skowre hir choler, whiche is the very originall grounde of hir feuer. There are some that do will and prescribe, y ^t you must let your Falcō bloude in the thygh, whiche albeit I haue not experimented, yet doth it stāde with reason, that it may do good, if you can finely do it: but it were much better in mine opiniō, to open the vayne vnder hir right wing, bicause that would chiefely refrigerate & coole the lyuer out of hād, & so by a cōsequēt y ^e whole body throughout.

This order aforesaide is to be vsed, if y ^e feuer be a hotte feuer wherewith your hawke is molested. But if it happen to bee a colde feuer, which you shall perceyue, by that your hawke will be extreme colde, if you touche hir. Hir eyes looke not of their woonted hewe, and besides all this, shee seldome mewteth, and that with greate payne.

Then you must set hir in some warm place, & after hir fitte of colde is past, she must be gently borne on y ^e fist. Besides, whē y ^e feuer hath left hir, for y ^t time you should let hir flee a little: it wil do hir great good. Looke y ^t hir meate wherwith you feede hir, be hot fleshe, as Sparrowes, (which in this colde feuer are very wel to be allowed, though in y ^e hot agew I told you they were hurtful) pullets, Pigeons, & such like hot fowles, the flesh of whome you must washe in wine, wherein haue bin boyled these hot things folowing, as Sage, Min [...]s, Pelamountaine, Cloues, Cynamō, & such other sweete cōfortable deuises. Be­sides you may gyue your hawke the foresayde flesh, if it please you, with honie, and a little pouder of Dill, Fenel, & Comin medled togither. But specially you muste obserue this rule, & remember it well, not to giue your hawke gorge vpō gorge: & againe, if your hawke be hye in flesh when this disease taketh hir, she must be fed but little & seldome, although in deede it be [Page 224] very good at all times, howsoeuer she be affected, to kepe a rea­sonable hande vppon hir, as touching hir dyet, whither she be diseased or in perfect state. For of ouer greate gorges, and too full and liberall a hand, do procede a thousand mischiefes and diseases to a hawke, as experience doth dayly instruct vs, both to the greate paynes of those sillie birdes, and the greate griefe and coste of the vnskilfull keeper, whose purpose and meaning perhaps, is by giuing his hawke liberally, to haue hir flee lu­stily, and to continue in perfect healthe and state, whereas in trothe nothing doth so muche offende a hawke, as too greate a gorge. As in all other things, so in this likewise, The meane is beste.

Some Falconers do prescribe this methode for cure of y ^e fe­uer in a hawke, whiche I doe not greatly commende or al­lowe. They will you to take Reubarbe, Muske, Suger can­die, and the iuyce of Motherwoorte, and making a pylle of those things aforesayde, to gyue it your hawke, feeding hir afterwardes with Sparowes, or yong Rattes, whiche are ve­ry hotte meate.

Other some appoynte a paste or myxture to be made, as bygge as a nutte, of these things following, whiche being stie­ped a space in Vyneger, muste be gyuen hir, not dealing with hir in sixe houres after, at the leaste. They take to the compo­sition of this paste, Aloes, Muske, and the fatte of a Henne, e­gall portions, giuing it the hawke in manner aforesayde.

The signes that they gyue to knowe the Feuer, are the wrything of the hawkes trayne, the coldenesse of hir foote, and oftentymes the casting of hir gorge. But the firste rules and remedies do satisfie mee sufficiently, without these, bycause I finde in them some more reason: yet doe not thinke it a­misse, to sette downe diuers mens opinions, bycause euery man maye make his choyce: for what liketh one, perhappes, contentes not another.

Of diseases of the heade, and first of the Apoplexye, or falling euill.

HAuing in purpose to treate of the diseases, wherewith hawkes those fillie birds are vexed in their heades, I must do you to knowe, that vnder the name and terme of the heade, I do not only comprise that part that contayneth the brayne, but also the eares, eyes, beake, or clappe, nares, and mouth of the hawke: all which partes are subiect to sundry diseases and euils. But firste of all, I meane to speake of the chiefest, and most principall part of all the rest, & of such maladies as light vpon the brayne, and after that, of suche as happen to the externall and outward parts of the hawkes head. Among all which infirmities & griefes, I account the Apoplexie (whome the Italians call Gozza) the greatest and most perillous, as the which doth ordinarily cause and bring sodayne death.

This mischiefe doth commonly befall hawkes, by meane of too muche grease, and store of bloude, for that at that tyme there doth happely breake some one vayne or other in y ^e braine, which doth fill some cōcauitie or hollow Cell of the brayne w ^t bloude, in which Celles (as the learned do imagine & affirme) the Animall spirites are ingēdred, and haue their beginning. Without which Animall spirites, no lyuing creature can ey­ther haue sense or moouing. Wherevpon it doth follow of ve­ry necessitie, and by a meere consequent, that the passage of those spirites beeing shutte vp, and intercluded, the creature, whatsoeuer it be, muste dye.

Agayne, it may happen, for that the hawke hath bene sette too long in the heate of the Sunne, for by that occasion there may bee so muche humiditie and moyste humour drawen vp into the brayne, as may ingender this euill, and procure this mischiefe in the hawke.

Moreouer it may chaunce, by making a lōg flight at a Fe­sant, or Partridge, in the heate of the daye, by meane of which the hawke hath surcharged hir selfe with ouermuche trauaile. [Page 226] Wherefore it shall be behoouefull and necessarie, so to vse the matter with care and diligence, as it may be foreseene, that hawkes incurre not this aduenture and euill. Wherevppon, for that hawkes in the mewe, are accustomed to gather muche grease, it shall be good, for the space of fifteene or twenty daies before the drawing of them out of the mewe, to feede them with lyquide and slypper fleshe, such as may lyghtly be put o­uer, and passe through them. As namely, with the heartes of Calues, Lambes, or Goates, washed in luke warme water, and afterwarde dryed in a lynnen clothe, before you gyue it your hawke.

Lykewise may you boldly feede your hawkes before they are drawen out of the mewe, with small pullettes, and yong Sparrowes. When you haue thus doone, and obserued this order of feeding them, when the tyme is come to drawe them out of the mewe, you muste remember to drawe them very orderly, and after that to continewe the same kinde of fee­ding, and to keepe the same hande vppon them, for other twentie dayes space at the leaste, to skowre and disburden your hawkes of that slyme and glytte, whiche doth surcharge them, hauing them alwayes for the moste parte on the fiste, and especially at nyghte. Neyther shall it be euyll to skowre them, (or as our Ostregers and Falconers do terme it) to enseame them, by gyuing them a quantitie of washt Aloes, allowing a Falcon as muche as the byggenesse of a Beane, beaten into powder, wrapped in Cotton, and so to make hir a skowring thereof, and besides to giue hir Suger Candy, twoo or three mornings. But in any condition you muste be­ware not to vse Aloes vnwashte, bycause thereof are bredde sundry ill accidentes in hawkes. And for that occasion is it prescribed you, to vse Aloes washe, to auoyde that vndoubted euill, whiche would otherwise happen.

Moreouer, I haue happily, and with good successe ap­prooued this remedie. I haue gyuen so muche larder, or but­ter, as I coulde well conuey into my hawkes throte, when [Page 227] shee hath beene emptie aboue, hauing firste prepared the larde or butter, by washing it seuen, eyght, or moe tymes in cleare water, and afterwardes letting it soke in Rose wa­ter a space, and lastely by putting vnto it of the beste Su­ger that I coulde gette, or Suger Candie beaten to pouder. And my order was, euer to gyue this skowring euery seuenth or eyght daye. And this is not alone to bee vsed to hawkes in the mewe, but also to suche as are kept on the pearche and stocke. But if it so fall out, that by these deuises and skow­rings you cannot make your hawke haue a stomake and gre­die appetite to feede, it shall not bee euill to pysse vppon hir meate, and hauing dryed it in part againe, to giue hir a gorge sufficient, so muche as may serue hir, and as she will take. For the more liquide and slypper fleshe you giue hir, the sooner wil she be enseymed. And by this meanes doe Falconers preserue their hawkes from the falling euill, and sodayne mischiefe, and besides that from sundry other perilous accidents, that do followe those sillie birdes.

Of the Apostumes of the heade.

FAlcons, Goshawkes, and other birdes of praye, are woont to be muche combred and molested with the swelling of the heade, and the Apostume thereof, a very greuous euill, occa­sioned by abundance of euill humors, & the heate of y ^e head. It is discerned by y ^e swelling of y ^e hawkes eyes, by the moysture whiche sundrie tymes issueth, and distilleth from the eares, and often eake by euyll sauoure, and smell of the Apostume. Also it may bee perceyued by the small desire the hawke hath to mooue or aduaunce hir selfe by the wresting of hir heade, and the little regarde shee hath to tyre and pull the fleshe that shee feedeth on, as thoughe in deede tyring were verie paynefull to hir, and by that shee is scarce able to open hir clappe, and beaten after hir accustomed manner.

[Page 228]Agaynst this moste perilous euill, it shalbe very necessarie firste of all to skowre your hawke throughly, and after that the heade in chiefe.

As touching the generall skowring, I can commend and allowe you to gyue hir three or foure mornings, when shee hath no meate to put ouer, a pyll as bygge as a nut of But­ter washt seuen or eyght tymes in freshe water, and steeped well in Rose water, myngling it afterwarde with Hoonie of Roses, & very good suger, holding your hawke on the fiste, tyll she make one or twoo mewtes. Which being done, to disburdē and skowre the head, it shall be excellent well done to take of Rewe seede foure drammes, Aloes Epaticke twoo drammes, Saffron one scruple, reducing and forcing all these to fine powder, and with a quantitie cōuenient of honie of Roses, to make a pyll of that bygnesse and syze, as may well be cōueyed into the hawkes beake, by whiche hir brayne maye bee pur­ged and skowred, thrusting the pyll so deepe into hir throte, as you may well see, holding hir a space after it vppon the fiste. And that done, setting hir downe on the pearche, in a conueni­ente place, for a time, and twoo houres after, to feede hir at hir accustomed time with good hotte meate.

But if happely there be any of the corruption and filthe in the hawkes eare, it shall be very necessarie, carefully with an instrument of siluer, or other good mettall for the nones, that the one ende bee sharpe poynted and edged, of purpose to ap­ply lynte, and on the other ende hollowe, and fashioned like vnto the eare of a hawke, to clenze and remooue the filth that furreth the hawkes eare. And with that ende, whereon the lynte or bombaste is, to skowre it very dayntity, and pre­sently vppon the same, to infuse and droppe in a quantitie of Oyle of sweete Almondes, freshe and luke warme, and after the same to conuey into the eare a little lynt or bombast, to keepe in the Oyle, till suche time shee be dressed agayne, to the ende the Oyle may supple and mollifie the filthe, so as [Page 229] it may easily bee remooued, and clenzed. And this order muste you obserue and continue, vntil the Apostume be resolued and throughly rype. But if it so fall out, that the Apostume wyll not come to maturation, or rype, in sorte as it may growe to suppuration, and be mundified in manner aforesayde, but will reste at one staye in the heade of the hawke: then muste you be fayne to come to cauterize the heade aloft, and bestowe a but­ton there, to cause the humor to breathe, and to bring the cor­rupte matter thyther, remembring after this fyer and caute­rie to remooue the escare, by bestowing on it for the space of eyght or nyne dayes, butter, by whiche you shall easily remoue the cruste or escare, whiche is made by the fier.

You must not forget, if it be so as your hawke be so weake, as she is vnable, or so frowarde, as she will not feede and tyre vppon hir meate whiche you gyue hir, then to cutte it in small pellettes, and so giue it hir, eyther by fayre meanes or fowle, not leauing to vse it so, if it bee possible, as she may receyue it willingly, and feede hir selfe, bicause it may the better nou­rishe hir. For this is one vndoubted rule, that when a hawke doth refuse to feede and tyre, she is very vnlusty, and diseased, and not one among a hundreth of them, that doeth recouer. And for mine owne parte, in all my time, I haue recouered but one Falcon beeing so diseased, and that by the meane and cure aforesayde, and by vsing the cauterie.

Lette this suffise, as touching this monstrous accident, for I meane to referre you to another place for the cauterie and fire, whiche you shall vse to hawkes, where I will speake specially therof. Onely gyuing you this caueat before you go, that this euill of the heade, is infectious, and will passe from one hawke to another, as the maungie doeth among Spa­nels, or any suche contagious disease. Wherefore it shall bee very good to sequester and sunder the hawke that is thus af­fected, from your other hawkes, for auoyding of the same euyll.

Of the distillation and swelling of a hawkes heade, and also of hir eyes and nares.

HAwkes are accustomed to haue a certayne distillation or Catarre in their heades, bicause, when they are harde fleen withal, & set in greate heates, by long & paynefull flyghts, they easily take colde vppon the same, either through some vnhap­py stormes of weather, or great windes, or by reason of the ex­treme cold of winter, and chiefely when they are full of grosse and naughty humors.

Of this Catarre or distillation, sundry times there growe a thousande mischiefes to those poore birdes, and specially the swelling of the heade, with a kinde of dropping humor, which is the cause many times, that the hawkes eyes becomme lesse, and are contracted in a manner togither. Beside whiche in­conuenience, the nares also becomme to be stufte and stopped with excessiue excrement, that descendeth from the brayne. All whiche euill accidentes do require, and stande needefull of se­uerall cures, before they can be remoued, and the hawkes in­ioy their accustomed health.

Wherefore firste of all, it shall bee necessarie to skowre your hawke, beeing thus affected and diseased, with butter prepared in manner aforesayde, or with Oyle Olyue, prepa­red after that fashion, as I shall instruct you in the chapter of the Pantas.

I haue, in the Catarre of Falcons, (as also of other hawkes,) diuers tymes vsed with greate good fortune and successe, to gyue them of Agaricke twoo scruples, of Cy­namon finely beaten, of the iuyce of Lyquerisse, of eyther one scruple, beeing made also into powder, and with a quantitie of Honie of Roses, to make all those things a­foresayde into a pyll, as bygge as a Beane, for the largest sorte of hawke, and for other lesse hawkes, halfe as bygge. And this was I accustomed to gyue my Falcon, and other [Page 231] hawkes in the morning, hauing nothing aboue in their gor­ges, holding my hawke on the fiste, vntill suche tyme the me­dicine beganne to woorke, bycause shee shoulde not caste the skowring, (whiche then would do hir no pleasure at all) and after three houres, then to feede hir with some good meate. You muste remember, and note this very well, that if your hawke to whome you giue this skowring, be greasie, and ful of flesh, you may boldely gyue it hir twoo or three mornings. But if shee be poore, and lowe, then once or twice to allowe this skowring will very well suffise hir. For there is euer respect to be had of the state of a hawke, when any vpwarde or downe­warde skowring is gyuen them, for otherwise it wil do them greater mischiefe, than pleasure.

But when you perceiue your hawkes head to swell, and hir eyes to be full of dropping humors, and to waxe lesse than na­turally they were accustomed to be, by meane of the swelling of hir heade: It shall be good, hauing gyuen hir this generall skowring, that I haue spoken of, to skowre the head alone, and purge it with some deuise, to force hir snyte and snuffe, as mē do accustome to sneze: & to force hir therevnto, you may take Pepper, Cloues, and Mustard seede, of eache one a like quan­titie, making them all into very fine pouder, as is possible, and then with a whistle of siluer, or other like mettal, (yea though it be but a quill, it will serue the turne) beeing applyed vppon hir nares, to blowe it into hir nares as strongly as you may, to make it pierce [...] further in. And besides that, you may rubbe and frotte the pallate of your Hawke with the sayde powder, and not feede hir after it, vntill suche tyme she haue lefte snyting and snuffing. If you continewe this practise three or foure dayes, your Hawke shall recouer assu­redlie.

To discharge the heade of a hawke, that is stuft with yll humor, Senauza, which the Apothecaries do sellin the winter, I haue founde a very excellente thing, and of greate force, gyuing of it the byggenesse of a Beane vnto my hawke, [Page 232] beeing emptie, & hauing nothing aboue. And withall I was accustomed to rubbe the pallate of hir mouthe, forcyng al­so some parte of the powder to ascende vp into the heade, by the hole that goeth to the brayne: and after I had so doone, woulde caste my hawke to the pearche, vnhooding hir. Which was no sooner doone, but you shoulde see hir caste a worlde of slymie filthe and moyste humoure, and snyse at hir nares as faste.

But if it be so, that the abundance of humors in the heade, by none of these aforsayde remedies will be remoued, applying them neuer so often, nor y ^e mischiefe cease to vexe your hawke whiche you shall easily discerne by hir slymie castings, and the abundaunce of filthe that will issewe at hir nares: then must you of force be dryuen vētrously to flee to the actuall cauterie, & with an yron button heate in the fier, to cauterize hir vpon the heade, vsing no lesse iudgemente and discretion therein, than the dayntinesse of the place requires, regarding the bone of the hawkes heade, whiche is not very strong, or harde. And before you do vse the cauterie, it is necessarie to cutte a­way those feathers, that are growing about the place where you meane to bestow your fier.

If with this monstrous moystnesse of your hawkes heade, there be ioyned a swelling, or the dropping of hir eyes: in that case I do thinke it best, to bestow your button vpon hir head, iuste betwixte hir eyes, obseruing the same order that I haue alreadie prescribed you.

When the nares of your hawke are stufte with filthe, and surcharged with suche distillation from the heade, as I haue spoken of: after a conuenient skowring, then shall it be good to take Pepper and Mustarde seede beaten into fine powder, and putting it in a cleane lynnen clothe, to stype it a space in the strongest Vyneger you can gette: and that done, to bestowe some fewe droppes thereof vppon hir nares, so as they may enter and pierce hir nares. For truely this [Page 233] deuise will so scowre and drie vp the humor, as it will doe great pleasure. But if so with these remedies and meanes you cannot resolue it, then must you be fayne to vse the caute­rie, not aloft vpon the head, but round about the nares, giuing hir a little touch with the fire, somewhat belowe the nares, to make them more large, alwayes vsing the matter so carefully, as you touch not the roote or (poret) of hir nares. When you haue in this maner bestowed your fire, and actuall cauterie, vntill such time the payne do ceasse, and the escarre fall away, (whiche is nothing else but the crust that is growen there, by meane of the fire,) you must anoynt the place with fresh but­ter, and after that you haue so done, then proceede to the cure of it with the powder of Masticke, or Olibanum.

This is a very good remedie for the swelling in the head of a Hawke. Take Stauesacre, a quantitie of Pepper, and a little Aloes Epaticke, beate these sayd thinges into fine pow­der, and put them into the water of Rew, where when it hath bin steeped a space in the said licoure, with a little bombast or lint, bath your Hawkes nares twice a day, and you shall finde it ease your Hawke greatly, and ridde a greate parte of the filthie matter that breadeth the stoppage in hir head. If all these remedies which I haue alleaged generally, nor any one speciall medicine will preuayle, as I sayde before: then muste you repose your chiefe trust in the cauterie, which must be done either on the head with a cauterizing button, or about the nares with a nedle, or sharpe yron, fyre hotte, or some golden or siluer instrument, of purpose made, applying after the fire, for the remouing of the Escare, and the cure of the same, the remedies aforesaid.

Of the giddinesse and shaking of a Hawkes head.

THere doth diuers times happen vnto Falcons, and other Hawkes, a mischeefe, whose nature is, to cause the Hawke [Page 236] to shake hir head continually, so as at no time she can hold it still or steadie, but is euer mouing it to one side or other, hol­ding hir eyes close shut withall. This disease is called Soda, which in english we may tearme y ^e Megrim or a kind of Pal­sie, by meane the head is in continuall mouing.

The cure.This euill may proceede, eyther by the fowlenesse of the pa­nell, or of a corrupt and naughtie liuer. The remedie for it is this, whichu I hae found very good, and wherewith I haue cured my hawke in times past. You must giue your sick hauke a casting of cotton, in whiche you shall enwrappe of Aloes Epaticke one scruple, of Cloues two graynes, making these into powder, before you giue it: then two houres after the ta­king of this skowring, feede your Hawke with a yong Pige­on, or a hote Pullets legge, vsing this selfe same order three or foure mornings one after another.

One other remedie for it is this. Take as much vnwasht Larde as the toppe of youre little finger, with a quantitie of Peper, and a little Aloes Epaticke, beate these two last into powder, and conuey them into the Larde, whiche done, thrust them into your haukes throte, holding hir on your fiste a space after it: then tie hir on the pearch in the sunne, and ther let hir stay til she cast both the skowring, and the slimie matter which is in hir gorge. And this medicine may you vse euery thirde day once, feeding your Hawke with hote meates, as Pigeōs, and yong Sparowes, & euery time you giue hir this skow­ring, conuey into hir a little Aloes, which is an excellent thing to skowre hir, and quitte hir of this disease.

If these receytes and skowrings yeelde no remedie, then must you to the actual cauterie, shearing away the plumes a­bout that part of the head where you will applie youre fire, e­uer respecting the bone, and burning nothing but the very skinne, to let the mischiefe breath, remouing the escare, and doing the cure after the escare remoued, as is before said. Let this suffice for this monstrous mischiefe, whiche killes many Hawkes: yet haue I cured my Hawkes twice, by these reme­dies in my time.

Of the Cataract in the eyes of a Hawke.

BEsides those other euils, ther is a Cataract which doth light vpon the eyes of a Hawke, whome we may tearme a suf­fusion, a mischiefe not easely remoued, and diuers times im­possible to be recured, as namely whē it is growen too thicke, and ouerlong hath bin suffered in the eye, without seeking re­medie for it: but if it be not confirmed, then may it well be re­medied, and I my selfe haue cured sundrie Hawkes affected with this euill.

This euill accident dothe happen, by meane of grosse hu­mors in the head, whiche are wont to dimme and darken the sight, and sometimes cleane to put out the Hawkes eye with­out redemption.

It maye bee, that the hood is the cause and grounde of this disease, for I neuer in my life remember that I sawe any o­ther byrd or fowle troubled with it but only the Falcon: and perhaps, it lights on hir, in chiefe, for that of all other, shee is moste vsed to the hoode, and to be almost at no tyme vn­hooded.

You must therefore haue an eye, The Curre. and especiall regarde to this inconuenience, at y ^e first, by giuing one or two mornings a skowring of Aloes, or of Agaricke, to skowre your Hawke withall, bycause if you shoulde aduenture vppon any sharpe or hard painefull medicine, applying it to the eye of youre Hawke, it woulde perhaps cause a greate repaire of euill hu­mors and accidents to the place diseased.

When you haue giuen thys skowring of Aloes, or Aga­ricke, to remoue the matter from the eye, you must vse a pow­der made of washt Aloes, finely beaten, one scruple, and of Suger candye two scruples, blowing of this powder into your Hawkes eyes three or foure times in a daye, with the Pipe or quill aforesayd. Thys is the gentlest, and moste so­ueraine medicine that you can applie to the eye in thys case. [Page 236] and whilest you do minister this receyte, it shall be good some­times to bath the eye with the vrine of a little boy.

If by these medicines aforesayd, the webbe of the eye wyll not be remoued, we must be driuen to vse a stronger receyte, which is this.

Another remedie.Take a newe layde egge, and rost him so long vntill the white of him become like milke. When you haue so done, put it into a fine white linnen cloth, and strayne it so much and so long, vntill you see issue through your strayner a cleare greene water, wherof you shall now and then infuse a droppe or two into the hurt eye, vsing it so three or foure times in the day at the least, vntill you see your Hawke amend of hir mischeefe, and waxe sound.

Last of all, if these things auayle not to the cure, I do com­mend and allow aboue all the rest, that you take the iuyce of Celendyne rootes, making them cleane from the earthe that doth vse to hang to the moores: then scrape away the outmost rynde and pill of the roote, and vse the iuyce to your Hawke. Truly I haue found this to be of singular force and vertue in the like accident.

It shall not be amisse, in this and suche like affections and ill passions of the eye of a Hawke, to bath hir eyes often with rose water, wherin haue bene boyled the seads of Fenygreke. But you must remember, that this water or colirie, be some­what warme when you vse it, bycause the eye is so noble, and so sensible a member, as it can ill brooke things eyther ouer­hote or ouercolde, but muste haue them moderately hotte or cold. This deuise may you vse to bath your hawkes eye with­all, vntill such time she be recouered, feeding hir meane while with good meates, and such as are light of digestion.

Hawkes are of so noble and excellent a nature, as the most part of medicines that you doe applie to the hurtes and cures of men, you may boldly bestowe on Hawkes, as things very holesome for them, as by their working will be most euidently seene and perceyued: yet muste there be a discretion vsed, in [Page 237] the administration of these sayd receytes, hauing alwayes a regard vnto the weake and delicate nature of Hawkes, in respect of men: and therefore y ^e quantities of euery thing must be allowed and giuen accordingly.

It happeneth diuers times, that through the Catarre, and paine of the head and eyes, there lights vppon the eares of a Hawke so mortall and deadly an apostume, as seldome when, though there bee greate care vsed about the cure, she maye be brought to perfect state, or recouered. And this proceedeth, by­cause the mischiefe lies so neare a neighboure to the brayne, as before it can breake or be clensed outwardly, it causeth the Hawke to perish. Besides that, it is very hard to applie medi­cines in that place: but if the Hawke be of so strong a nature, that she brooke the breathing and rupture of this disease, which you shall perceyue by the quitture and filth that dothe issue from hir cares, giue hir this remedie, which is a very noble re­ceyte, and approued of me often times, as well in men, as in Hawkes, to my great commendation and glory.

Take honie of Roses, and oyle of egges, The Cure. incorporate them togither, and powre twice or thrice a daye into the eares of your Hawke, some fewe droppes of it hote: and if you find by the abundance of filth, that there needeth great abstersion, you maye adde therevnto a quantitie of Sarcacoll beaten into powder.

The wine of Pomegranats is a most excellent remedie in this mischiefe, confected with those things aforesayd.

Butter well coyled and beaten in a morter of lead, one houre at the least, and afterwardes powred into the Hawkes eares reasonable hote, twice or thrice aday, is a very good remedie.

Of such euils as happen to Hawkes in their chappes and mouthes.

THe chappes, and mouth of a Hawke is subiect to sundrie diseases, and in y ^e Hawkes mouth, there are wont to growe [Page 238] certayne white peeces of flesh, and sometimes tending some­what too blacke, which do hinder the Hawke from hir feeding, by meane whereof without any other euident cause, she becō ­meth leane, and lowe. Wherfore it shall bee very necessary to looke into hir mouth sometimes, both in the Palat, and vnder the tong, bicause that many times, there especially, do growe vp certaine peeces of flesh like in shape to a graine of Peper, sometimes lesse, sometimes bigger than a Peper grayn, which it shall be necessary to cut away, either with a payre of cysers, if you may commodiously do it, or with Roch Alome burnt, or with a droppe of Oyle of Brimston, applyed vpon a little cotton, with an yron vnto the place, taking away the corrupte flesh. You must mundifie the place with honie of Roses, and bombast or lynt, vntill you see the quicke flesh vnderneath it, then afterwards, vnto the honie of Roses, you may apply and adde, a little powder of Masticke, or incense to consolidate the wounde, washing it sometymes among with white wyne.

Moreouer, and besides this, there is wont to happen vnto Hawkes in the mouth, a certaine frownce or impedimente, which doth hinder their feading, as the other peeces of flesh do, of which I haue spoken before. This frownce may be very well perceyued and discerned with the eye, and will appeare also, by the feeding of the Hawke.

Diuers times this kind of euill is cured with honie of Ro­ses, and with the powder of nutshels, bound in a peece of lin­nen cloth, well bathed and styped togyther, and thrust vnder the whote ymbers, vntill it may bee brought vnto fine pow­der: thys may you continue twice a day, as long as shall bee needefull.

But if this will not serue the turne, it shall be very neces­sary to mortifie and kill the frownce with Aquae fortis, such as goldsmiths do vse to part their mettalls withal, hauing respect not to touch it any where, sauing only vpon the frownce, and part diseased, for that it will fret the good and sound fleashe. [Page 239] After you haue mortified the frownce or canker with Aquae fortis, as I haue tolde you, then must you mundifie and consolidate it with honie of Roses, which wyll cure it out of hand.

Also it is very good, to applie this receyte following in the cure of the frownce, whome the Italians call Zaruoli.

Take a cleane Skillet, wherevnto put good white wine, a quantitie of Verdigrece, well beaten to powder, of Roche Alome like quantitie, one ownce of honie, and a fewe drie Rose leaues, boyle all these thyngs togither to the consump­tion of halfe the wine: then strayne it, and with the strayning hereof, twice or thrice a day, bath the frownce with a little lint or bombast, tyed on the toppe of an instrumente for the purpose. But you muste well regarde whether the fleshe be good or no, and with a toole fitte for it to searche and cutte away the dead fleshe, for otherwise it will doe little pleasure, and the Hawke shoulde bee assured to suffer greate paynes, and yet to dye at laste. Hauing mun­difyed the wounde with the receyte aforesayde, bathe it onelye wyth Honie of Roses, and it wyll dispatche the Cure.

Take Verdegrece a quantitie, bynde it in a linnen clothe, The Cure. stype it one day and one nighte in Rose water, or Plan­tine water, or common water, not hauing the rest, and after­wardes wash the frownce therewith, vntill they be morti­fied, whyche you shall well perceyue by the quicke fleshe that will growe vnder: then applye Honye of Roses in the ende of the cure, and it shall doe your Hawke great good.

Egiptiacum is an excellent thing to cure & kill the frownce in a Hawke, which is none other thing, but a very Canker, suche as men are plagued withall. Wherefore, Another. take Verde­grece, Roch Alome, of eyther two ownces, Honie of Roses [Page 240] one ownce, water of Plantaine, wine of Pomegranats, of ey­ther two ownces, and a halfe, set them on a softe burning fire, alwayes stirring them with a sticke, or wodden splatter, vntill it turne to the thicknesse of honie: then take a little of it, and mingle with a quātitie of Plantaine water, and you shal find this the most excellent remedie, aswell for the frownce in a Hawke, as also for the Canker in the mouth of a man. Thus much is necessary to be vsed, when the frounce dothe happen vnto a Hauke by some apostheme of y ^e head, engēdred by a cor­rupt liuer, or some other inward part. But many times it so falleth out, that the beake of a Hawke is hindred and offended with this kind of euil, and not the mouth so much: in such sort, as the Hawke cannot well feede, by meane this mischiefe doth so fret and eate the horne of hir chappe and beake. For re­medie of that, you must take a sharp knife, and pare away, as muche of the beake as is corrupted: but if the maladie or frownce haue eaten very farre vnder the horne of the beake, it is not sufficient to cut it away with a sharpe knife, as farre as the canker hath eaten, but you must afterwardes anoynt the place with honie of Roses, twice or thrice: and in so doing the Hawke shall recouer and do well, for the honie of Roses will both mundifie and incarne.

Sometimes a Hawkes beake or clappe doth ouergrowe so much, as it is very necessary to cope it with an yron, and af­terward to sharpen the beake with a knife, taking away so much as is needeful for the better feeding of your Hawke, but in any wise you muste not medle with the nether clappe, by­cause that doth not commonly growe so fast, nor so farre as to hinder your Hawkes feeding. Wherefore that part is to be fauored. Let this suffice as touching y ^e diseases of y ^e Hawkes mouth, and the frownce, bycause ther is no canker or frownce so ill, but being taken in time, with these receites, it will be re­cured assuredly.

Of the Pantas.

ONe speciall disease among others that be lurking and se­cret within the brest and couert parts of a Hawke, is the Pantas, a very daungerous euill, and familiar to Hawkes: for lightly fewe escape, that are once encombred wyth thys infirmitie.

This mischeefe proceedes, when the lungs and those brea­thing members by excessiue heate are ouerdried, and baked, in such sort, as they cannot by any meanes freely drawe the ayre to them, nor yet vtter it well being once receyued, for the bet­ter cooling of the hart, whose bellowes the lungs are, by na­ture ordayned for that speciall purpose and office, wherby the hart wareth inflamed, and by a necessarye consequente, the Hawke of force must perish.

Beside that, the humiditie and moysture of the head distil­ling from aboue, vpon those breathing partes, and there en­creased, and waxen thicke, is wont also to be a great furthe­raunce to thys mischiefe, and breede difficultie of breathing. Wherefore it shall be very necessary, to regard it at the firste, before the disease haue taken too deepe roote: for that then (for a­ny thing I know) there is no remedie in the worlde to be had for this Pantas, which is commonly tearmed Asina.

You maye iudge of the beginning of this greefe, and know it by thys. Your Hawke laboreth muche in the panell, mouing hir trayne often vp and downe, at each motion of hir panell, and cannot many times mewte or slise: and when shee doth slise, she droppes fast by hir, and makes a small rounde burnt mewte: these are apparant proofes, that shee hathe the Pantas growing on hir.

Againe, you may perceyue it by the more violent motion of hir gorge than custome was, but the other are the most assu­red signes that you can desire and infallible. Moreouer, when your Hawke doth often times open and close hir clappes and [Page 242] beake, then is the disease very neare confirmed. And looke how muche the more shee dothe it, the more is the Pantas rooted on hir, and then is the cure desperate, and not to be hoped for.

The cure of the Pantas.The best remedie that euer I coulde fynde for the Pantas, was to scowre the Hawke with good oyle oliue, well washed in sundrye waters, so long, vntill it became cleare and white.

The way to wash Oyle.My accustomed maner of washing it was, to put it in an [...]arthen potte, that had a little hole in the very bottom of it of purpose made rounde, whereby it mighte the better bee stopte with the toppe of my finger: then do I conuey into this potte that quantitie of Oyle, whiche I meane to washe in it, and with cleare water do there coyle it togither with a wod­den splatter, or a spone, that the water waxeth somewhat darke with it: after whiche remouing my finger, the water passeth away by the hole, the Oyle remayning behinde, and swim­ming aloft, as it is the nature of it to do. And thus do I sixe, seauen, or eyght times, so long, vntill I perceyue the Oyle to haue no filthe lefte in it at all. Then of this Oyle thus pre­pared, I bestowe vppon my Hawke that hathe the Pantas, filling therewith a chickens gutte washt very cleane, of an ynche long and somewhat more for a Falcon and Goshawke: but for other lesse Hawkes, of a lesse length, fast knit at bothe endes with a thread, to the ende the Oyle maye not issue out, whiche gutte I conuey into the Hawkes throte, after she hath cast, and is emptie aboue and in the pannell bothe, holding hir on the fiste till shee make a mewte: and one houre after she hath left mewting, then I feede hir with some slipper fleshe, as the harte of a Calfe, or a Pullets legge, refusing to vse olde Pigeons and Sparowes, bycause they are ouer hote meate, vnlesse happely the Hawke were very lowe and poore, but being hie and full of flesh, those other meates aforesayde, are not alone holesome, and sufficient for hir, but they will be much better, being washt in water of Buglosse, and wroong drie in a linnen cloth, and then minged with the powder of [Page 243] Suger candie, vsing this order sixe or eyght dayes or moe, euery other day till my Hawke recouer: giuing hir euery third or fourth daye, a cotton casting with Cubebes and Cloues, to scowre and discharge hir of such moyst humors as destilleth from hir head, whiche sometimes (as I haue sayde before) is the chiefe and originall ground of this disease.

Besides this remedie, there is one other very good, and that is butter, and Larde, well slised, and washed in sundrie wa­ters, till they become very cleane, and whyte, whyche you maye keepe in Rose water, vntill you haue occasion to vse it.

Of these beeing thus prepared and conserued, you maye take as you haue nede, for euery skowring suche a quantitie, as will serue to make a pill or pellet, so greate as you maye well conuey into your Hawkes throte, vsing it in maner and time aforesayd: giuing hir now and then among that skow­ring of Cubebes and Cloues, as well for the reason alreadie alleaged, as also bycause of hir liquide meate and slipper fee­ding vppon those harts, so bathed and stieped in water. For Cubebes and Cloues will greatly comfort the stomacke and gorge of your Hawke.

I haue found by experience that Oyle of sweete Almonds is of wonderous efficacie in the cure of this disease, giuing it in a chickens gutte as aforesayd.

If these remedies which I haue shewed, doe not preuayle, nor performe the perfit cure of your diseased hawke, ne yet doe make hir mewte, which happened at no time to me in all my experience and practise. But when there is no remedie to bee had at all, I can well allow the vse of Agaricke with a cotton casting, bycause Agaricke is of great force to cause a Hawke to slise But if for al this, the griefe do dayly proceede and in­creace, then do I thinke good that you bestowe a Cauterie vp­on youre Hawkes heade, betwixt hir eyes, & eake at hir nares, specially if there be any imperfectiō in thē. Some mē are of o­pinion, y ^t for y ^e cure of the Pantas you shulde giue your hauke [Page 244] two inches of a Lucerts tayle, newly cut off, conueying it into youre Hawkes gorge, and afterwardes setting hir in some darke place, till the haue cast, and then to giue hir gotes milke, with the bloud of a Doue. Othersome writers do will and aduise to let the Hawke bloud in the necke.

But I for my parte, haue neyther tried the one, nor the o­ther, if I shall tell you the trouth of the matter, bycause I doe not at all like of these deuises: but doe assure you, that with those other remedies and receytes, whiche I haue taught you in this Chapter of the Pantas, (I meane, the skowrings, and the cawterie,) I haue done very muche good, and recouered my Hawkes of this disease, and therefore do recommend you to them, as vndoubted experiments.

Betony reduced into the forme of an Electuarie with ho­nie, is a very good remedie for this greefe, as well in men, as in Hawkes.

One other remedie which I find in an Italian Author, is this. Take Mummy, Rhewbarbe, Saffron, & Suger candye, make all these into powder, giuing it to your Hawke, for the space of eight days at least in a chickins skinne, if shee will take it, if not, force it into hir. And while you minister thys medicine vnto hir, al that time let hir not be borne on the fiste: and withall among sometimes, giue washt fresh butter with suger candye, and sometimes a cotton casting with incense within it. But I do more commend, to giue hir bole Armoni­acke, in a pill with honie.

These remedies no doubt, are very good and soueraigne a­gainst the Pantas of a Hawke. Make you choyse of them, but let the Cawterie be the last refuge, for that is an extremitie. Remember this rule of Phisicke, that euer it is best to begin w ^t the weakest: for if they will profit and do sufficient good, in vayne it were to charge nature with the strongest receytes, which are rough, and churlish in working.

Of the infirmitie and disease in the gorge of a Hawke, when she dothe cast hir gorge.

SVndry are the diseases that Hawkes are pestred withall, by meane of the indisposition of the gorge, when y ^t parte is out of tune: among which the most ordinarie and perillous is the casting of the gorge, when a Hawke dothe cast hir meate vndigested, in the selfe same forme she receyued it▪ or else cor­rupted, and of a lothsome sauoure, both whiche they doe many times.

If shee cast it cleane, and not stincking, but of good smell, ther is no great feare of the matter, nor any great danger: by­cause it maye proceede by meane some small bone is crossed and turned in the gorge of the Hawke, whiche doth cause hir to cast it againe for hir more ease and quiet: Wherefore in this case it shall be good for the more suretie, and to knowe the worst of the accident that may happen thereby, to beare your Hawke to the water, or to offer hir a bason of water, to trie whether she wil bowze or no. For by bowzing, besides the good that she shall receyue by it, you shall haue euident proofe and vndoubted shewe of hir disease, and that in deede shee is sicke, and dothe stande in neede of Phisicke: but if shee bowze not at all, it argueth hir to bee in good time.

These accidentes are wonte to happen by meane of ouer much moysture and humiditie, and through excessiue rottē hu­mors, engendred in the gorge.

Wherefore if the Hawke cast hir meate well sauoring, and of good coloure, neyther stinking to smell, nor lothsome to vewe, and do bowze after it, it shall be good to heate and com­fort the gorge, with the powder of Nutmegges and Cloues, with a quantitie of Muske, all enwrapped in a peece of fine cotton, or bombast, giuing it to the hawke when she is emptie [Page 246] paneld, as custome is to do, holding hir on the fiste, vntill shee put ouer hir sayd casting into hir gorge. Then two houres after she hath cast it againe, it shall be very necessary to feede hir with yong Doues, giuing but halfe a gorge, or somewhat lesse at a time: and at nighte when hee suppes hir, to lette hir plume a little, and if the Hawke will bowze, to giue hir leaue to doe it, for truly it will be very wholsome for hir. By this meanes, I promise you, I haue recouered sundrie sieke Hawkes, and chiefly Sparowhawkes.

I haue ouer and besides this, vsed with great good successe, good Rose water, altred w ^t a quantitie of powder of Cloues, and muske, preparing it after this manner:

I haue taken Rose water two ownces, powder of Cloues two scruples, of fine Muske fyue graines: and of this haue I giuen my Hawke fyue ownces, or there about, after that as my Hawke hath bin either poore or hie in state, holding hir on the fiste, vntill she hath made a mewte.

This medicine will bring hir to a good apetite, a sweete breath, and will besides all these scowre very well.

But if that which she doth east, be corrupted and stincking: ouer and besides the aforesayd remedies, whiche indeede are excellent good, I can allow well that you take the roote of Ce­lidonie, or Celondine, remouing away the vpper rynde and pill off the roote, vntill it looke redde, and droppe agayne, then to infuse it in a quantitie of luke warme water, stir­ring the roote vp and downe in the water, to cause it to re­ceyue the effect and qualitie of the Celydonie the more. Of which roote you must (after you haue so done) conuey a pel­let as bigge as a beane for the huger sorte of Hawkes, into the beake of your Hawke, thrusting it downe with your fore­finger into the very gorge of hir, to the end it may the better descend into your Hawke. Besides this, it is very good to open hir beake, and conuey into hir one spoonefull of the wa­ter aforesayd, not all at once, but at twice or thrice, closing [Page 247] fast hir clappes againe, bycause shee maye the better keepe it, and not cast it vp presently.

Thys beeyng done, keepe hir a space vppon the fiste, vn­till the roote and licoure bee well settled in hir gorge. Af­ter whyche, cast hir on the pearche, in suche a place, where is no resorte, eyther of people, dogges, chickens, cattes, or other suche lyke thynges, to the ende you maye the better discerne hir skowring: and besydes, that shee maye haue the lesse cause to bate. There let hir stande, vntill shee hathe cast all the roote whiche shee receyued, and that the water hathe made hir mewte and slise sufficiently, whyche will doe hir very greate good. Then after two houres it shall be well, to giue hir a yong Ratte or Mouse, newly stripped out of the skinne hote, and for lacke thereof, a yong Pigeon, whome you shall kill, by throwing hir forcibly against the grounde, with the raines downeward, bycause the bloud may gather togither, and stande: whereof feede youre Hawke, giuing hir the hart also, and the reynes thereof, withoute anye more allowance of any of the Pigeons fleshe. When shee hathe dispatched and rydde this beaching of the Pigeons hart and bloud, or of the yong Ratte, then giue hir in like manner the like quantitie, onely of the dead doue: onely twice a day to a Sparowhawke, but to a Falcon or Goshawke, foure or fyue beachings in one day, euer obseruing the selfe same order that I haue prescribed you.

The next morning you may, if neede be, in a little lint, or flaxe, or such like deuise, gyue a skowring of incense or Oliba­num, I meane, the leaues of it broosed in your hand, as small as is possible, gyuing hir but a small gorge, to the ende, that towardes the euening, you may allowe hir a reaso­nable supper.

By this vsage and order haue I cured sundrie Hawkes of mine owne, and other mens.

You must note, y ^t whē these remedies aforesaid, do not profit, [Page 248] nor do the feate, and that the Hawke doth cast hir, more than twice, then is it a desperate case, and so much the woorse, if the Hawke be lowe and poore, for then in that case haue I seene very few or none recured.

Neuerthelesse, I haue somtimes seene a meruayle wrought in this case, by making the greater kind of Hawkes, as Fal­cons, Gerfalcons and such like, dronke with a sponfull or two of strong Malmesie, conueyed by force into hir gorge: but to y ^e lesser Hawkes you must not giue so muche of the Malmesie, but in lesse quantitie. Which done, they haue bin placed vpon a bedde or a cusshen, for on the pearch they cannot stande, be­ing drowsie, but will lie as things in a traunce, for the space of a quarter of an houre, and many neuer recouer themselues againe, but if happily any do after they are thus dealt with­all, recouer and slise, and scoure away their medicine, no que­stion that Hawke shall throughly recouer: then is it good to giue hir of the bloudy parts of a Pigeon vsed in that manner as I foreshewed you, but this daungerous medicine is not to be giuen, but in desperate cases.

Of diuers accidents that happen to Hawkes, by meanes of fowle­nesse of the gorge, and in­disposition thereof.

IT hapneth sometimes that a Hawke can hardly put ouer hir meate which may be discerned by this, when in the mor­ning she hath of hir supper aboue. This misfortune chaunceth partly by reason hir meat was ouerdrie, and (as we may say) so hard baked in the gorge, as she coulde not put it ouer, and partly agayne, for that the Hawke cannot endue sufficient­ly, neyther yet dothe fyll in the pannell as shee oughte to doe.

[Page 249]In the firste case, I haue holpen diuers with gyuing the Hawke water at wyll, to bowze hir pleasure, bathing besides hir feete & pearche with freshe colde water: whiche not seruing the turne, I haue thruste my forefinger into hir gorge, and so holpen it along, and somtimes my little finger, or a waxe can­dle: and by that meanes haue caused hir to fill in the ventricle sooner than otherwise she woulde haue done. The weakenesse of which part diuers times is a cause that the hawke doth not well endew, nor fill in the Panell.

Somewhiles againe I haue vsed, & chiefly to Falcons, to giue a skowring in Cotton of powder of Mummie, prepared of Cloues and Nutmegs, rolling aloft vpon the cotton a litle lynte of Flaxe, bicause they should the sooner caste it. And by this meanes haue recouered them presently.

When a hawke doth endew but slowly, & hath by y ^t meanes smal lust to hir meate, you must thus do, to make hir more e­ger & sharpe, wrappe hir meate in the feede of Nasturciū, or wa­tercrassies, and so cause hir to take it. But this muste be vsed onely in winter, by reason that kinde of seede is very hotte.

The meate being thus vsed, will bring hir to be very sharpe sette, and cause hir to be well breathed, and besides make hir lustie, for in deede it is a medicine very excellent, and of infi­nite vertue.

Besides, sometimes the gorge is so out of tune, as it is the cause that the hawke at hir accustomed houre doth not caste, but retayneth hir casting within hir. Wherevpon it behooues some arte to be vsed to make hir caste. The nexte remedie for y ^t (as I haue sayde already) is to gyue the roote of Celendine, prepared in forme aforesayde.

Moreouer Mustard seede, otherwise called Senvye seede, is an excellent & a present remedy for y ^t mischiefe, being cōueyed into y ^e hawkes throte, of y ^e bignes of a beane, to y ^e huger sort of haukes: but to y ^e lesser haukes a lesse quātity ought to be giuē: and besides y ^t, one graine of Cloues, w ^t a litle pure Aloes wel washt, albeit y ^t wil somwhat vexe & wrōg y ^e hauke in this ease

[Page 250]But aboue all other, do I commend and preferre a skow­ring conueyed into a little cotton casting, that is made of the pouder of Aloes Epaticke washt, of Cloues, Nutmegges and Ginger, of eache of these equall portions, rolling the cotton in a little Tow or Flaxe, making it as hard with your hande as you may, & then rolling it in y ^e pouder of Cloues, and forcing it downe the hawkes throte: and presently you shall see your hawke caste it vp with the olde casting whiche she had before. This, besides the benefite of that, will comfort greatly & strēg­then the gorge, and skowre the heade of all such euill humors, as are there, surcharging the same. The vse of this deuise nowe and then, will be very necessarie and beneficiall to your hawkes without doubt.

If your hawke will not cast, take Aloes, Pepper, pouder of Cloues, and honie of Roses, making of all these a long pyll, and as bygge as a casting, gyue it your hawke, and she shall presently caste vpon the taking of it.

Of woormes, that molest and trouble hawkes out of measure.

NOwe do I holde it high time, and the place very conue­niēt to write of such kinds of woormes, as do trouble and vexe y ^e poore hawke, as hir mortall enimies, which after a sort do depende of the gorge, through whose weakenesse there are engendred grosse and viscuous humors in the bowelles of a hawke, where beeing weakely wrought by default of natu­rall heate, the humor conuertes into small woormes a quarter of an ynche long, and more.

You may perceyue these woormes to plague and trouble your hawke, when you see hir caste hir gorge, when hir breath stynckes, when she trembleth and wrytheth hir trayne, when she croakes in the night, offreth with hir beake to hir pannell, when hir mewte is not cleane, white, nor in suche abundance as it oughte to bee. And besides all this, when your Hawke [Page 251] keepes at one staye, and is lowe of flesh continually.

In this case it behooues you to destroy these woormes eyther with a skowring of washt Aloes Epaticke, Mustard sede, and Agaricke, of each one egal portions, vsing to giue it as I haue taught you before. Or else, by ministring the pouder of y ^e Gall of a Bore pygg [...] [...] in the smoke: or if these fayle, to gyue the pouder of Harts horne being dryed.

White Dittander, Hiera pigra minore, (for there are sundry kindes of it) of eache two drāmes, Aloes Epaticke well washt three drammes, Agaricke, Saffron, of each one dramme, being all incorporate with Hoonie of Roses, is an excellent remedie agaynst the woormes. You muste keepe it well, and giue Fal­cons, Goshawkes, & suche like, the bygnesse of a beane, but to Sparowhawkes, and the lesser sort of hawkes, as muche as a pease, in form of a pill, thrusting it down your hawkes throte, keping hir after it a space on y ^e fist, till she haue slised & mew­ted hir medcine, feding hir afterward w ^t good meat after your wōted maner. And this shall recouer hir, and kill the worms.

For the same disease it is very good, to giue a skowring of white Dittander, Aloes Epaticke well washt, Cubebes foure or fiue, a fewe flakes of Saffron enwrapped in a morsell of fleshe, to cause the hawke the better to take it.

This receyte, no doubt, will bothe make the hawke to slyse and mewte, and withall recouer hir. For it is an approoued remedie againste the woormes, and specially when the hawke doth wrythe and wrest hir trayne.

Againe, take Rheuponticum, Suger Candy, filings of yron, of eache like quantitie, of these, with iuyce of Woormewood, frame pilles, and cōueying them into the skinne of a chicken, giue your hawke one pill at a time, & it shall do hir pleasure.

Of the Filanders.

NOw I am entred in speche of wormes, I thinke it good to write somwhat of y ^e Filanders, to giue both knowledge & [Page 252] cure of them. Albeit these wormes doe not all depende of the gorge, for their naturall place & being is neare the raynes of a hawke, where they be enwrapped in a certaine thinne nette or skinne, seueral by themselues, apart from either gut or gorge.

These Filanders (as the very name doth import,) are smal as threedes, & one quarter of an ynche long, a [...] more proper and peculiar to Falcons, than to any other hawke or fowle. And this makes me to thinke, y ^e they are naturally allowed y ^e Fal­con, bicause in deede they do not at al times vexe & trouble the hawkes, but now & then, & specially when y ^e hawke is poore, & low of flesh. But if she be hie & lustie, then by reson of y ^e abun­dance of nourishment & foode y ^t they receiue from y ^e hawke, they molest hir not at all, but rather do hir good: and my reason is this. I cannot be induced to thinke that nature (who doth vse to make nothing but to some ende and purpose) hath produced & placed those Filanders in that part of the Falcō for naught, or to hurt the hawke. But how and in what sort they pleasure or profit the hawke, I coulde neuer yet reache by coniecture.

When they are troubled and grieued with the Filanders, you shall firste discerne it by the pouertie of the hawkes, by ruffling their traynes, and by certayne twytches and startes that they wyll make, strayning the fiste or pearche with their pownce, and lastly by their crooking in the nyght time, which kinde of noyse they vtter, when the Filanders pricke and gripe them within. For when they wante their sustenance, whiche they can by no meanes haue, when the hawkes are lowe and poore, then do they endeuour to rende and breake that slender nette wherein they are naturally inclosed, to yssewe oute to seeke their vittayles some other where. And manye tymes it happeneth, that, not seeing to it in tyme, and at the firste, they passe through their webbe, and crall vp as hyghe as the verie hearte, and other principall partes of the Hawke, whereof it muste needes consequently followe, that shee perisheth with­out redemption.

I haue sometimes seene this pestilent woorme by piercing [Page 253] and breaking the bed wherein nature hath layde them, ascend vp so highe, as they came foorth, and appeared at the Hawkes beake and mouth.

Wherefore it shall be necessarie to respect the cure of these Fylanders, not by killing them (as you woulde doe other woormes, (for then happely beeyng deade, and rotting in that place, from whence they can not passe awaye with the Hawkes mewte, they woulde there corrupte and breede a filthie Apostume in hir) but the waye that you muste take: is, by making thē droncke with some medicine to entertayne them, in such sort, as they may not offend or grype the hawke.

The beste remedie that can bee deuised for it, is to take a Garlicke head, pysling from the cloues thereof the vtmoste finde: whiche doone, you shall with some small yron toole, or bookine hette in the fyre, pierce the cloues, and make cer­tayne holes in them. And afterwards steeping them in Oyle at leaste three dayes, gyue your Falcon one of them downe hir throte: for the cloue of Garlicke vsed in this manner as I tell you, will so inrage & astonne the Filanders, that for thir­tie or forty dayes after they wil not at al molest your hawke. Wherevpon some Falconers, when their Falcons be low and poore, once in a moneth do of ordinarie gyue them a Cloue of Garlicke, for feare of the Filanders, to preuent the woorste, and truely to good effecte. And for that verie purpose and cause, are seldom or neuer without Garlicke stieped in Oyle, where y ^t lōger they lye, y ^e better, & more medicinable they are.

Thus must you deale with those Filanders, that lye in the raynes. But there is one other kind of Filanders, lying in the guts, or pannell of a hawke, which are long, small, and white worms, as though they had dropt out of y ^e raines of y ^e hawke. If you will destroy those Filanders, you must take Aloes E­paticke, fylings of yron, Nutmegges, & so much Honie, as wil serue to frame a pyll, which pyll you shall giue your hawke in y ^e morning, as soone as she hath easte, holding hir on y ^e fiste for y ^e space of an houre after. Then cast hir on y ^e perche, & when [Page 254] you gesse hir to haue slysed hir pill, and mewted it cleane, then feede hir with good hotte meate.

There are besides these, yet one other sorte of Filanders in the guttes of a hawke also, whiche cause a hawke to caste hir gorge as soone as she hath fedde, and do make hir strong brea­thed: for them prouide this remedie.

Take Aloes Epaticke, & Wormwood made into very small pouder, temper the pouder with Oyle of bitter Almondes: and that done, annoynte therewith the flanckes and sides of your hawke. And if you like not the Oyle, for gresing your Falcōs feathers & plumes, compounde those sayde pouders w ^t Vineger at the fire: but it is certaine that the Oyle is the better farre of both, and more proper to this disease.

If you can, giue your hawke Oyle of bitter Almonds, and not disquiet hir gorge, & after it bestow y ^e other cure vpon hir, with the annointing hir as I haue taught you▪ you shal finde it the most perfect remedie, y ^t may be against those Filanders, that lodge in the guttes and bowels of your hawke.

Of the disease of the Lyuer.

THe lyuer of a hawke is oftentimes inflamed by ouermuch bating & trauaile, as it happeneth not seldome to Falcons brought from farre & forrayne parts by shippe: & againe, when they bee impacient and bedlam in the mewe, or when they flee surcharged w ^t ouergreat bells. For the ouerbelling of a Falcō, puts hir to a greater payne & trouble, than needes. By these & suche like occasions, hawkes become hot lyuered. Againe som­times it happeneth by meane of an Apostume, which is engē ­dred either by some pricke of a thorne, or the stripe of an other hawkes pownce, by crabbing w ^t hir. For whē they haue such a stripe or pricke, y ^e skinne is broken outwardly, but y ^e bloud re­maining corrupt within, engēdreth y ^e apostume. Many times this disease of the lyuer proceedes of some broose agaynste the grounde, or in a tree, or the encounter with another fowle.

You shall perceiue this disease of the inflamation of y ^e liuer, [Page 255] when your hawke standeth melancolie, casteth not at hir ac­customed and woonted houres, by hir fowle castings, by hir stynking and yll coloured mewtes, (whereof I spake before) by hir labouring thicke in the panell, and by feeling of hir: For hir pulse dothe beate as the pulse of a man that hath a fe­uer. Moreouer hir mewt is as black as any incke. The disease is the moste pestilent and daungerous of all others.

If the heate of hir lyuer proceede of too muche bating, or broyling with hir selfe, you maye easily cure hir with foure or fyue good lyquide and cooling gorges, as to feede hir with the legge of a Pullette, or the hearte of a Veale, ba­thed in water of Buglosse, Bowrage, Hartes tongue, and suche like waters.

Moreouer it is very souerayne, to washe hir meate in the iuyce of Heubane, or else (that whiche doeth muche more re­freshe the hawke) to take a lyttle larde or Bacon, withoute the rynde, and well washte and conserued in good Rose wa­ter, and laste of all rolled in powder of Suger Candie. With this receyt more than with any other, am I accustomed to re­comfort and refreshe my hawke, when she is sicke of hir liuer. Notwithstanding the other medicines are very wholesome & good. And specially, good freshe butter, or Oyle washte and prepared, as I taught you in the former chapter.

But when the mischiefe of the lyuer is engendred by some pricke of a thorne, or the crabbing with some other hawkes or fowle, as diuers tymes it happeneth to the Falcon, by en­counter with a Hearon, when they binde togither in the ayre. In this extremitie, Mummie purified, made to powder, is very good. You must rolle your hawkes meate in this Mum­mie prepared three or foure tymes, & so gyue it your hawke: and if shee refuse to take it of hir selfe, then conuey it into hir by force, with a Cotton casting, four or fiue dayes one af­ter an other.

If she be ill affected in hir lyuer, by a broose against y ^e groūd or against a tree, or by encounter with some other fowle, then [Page 256] take Rewbarbe of the best one scruple, dry it vpon a hot yron panne, vntill it may be made into fine pouder, of that gyue in a canuas casting, the weight of two graines of wheate to your larger sort of hawkes, but for the lesse hawke y ^e one halfe will suffise. After she hath taken this casting, if she be hye in fleshe, then two houres after feede hir with a Pullets legge, washt in one of those cooling waters, but if she be lowe & poore, w ^t good hot meate. Thus must you cōtinue four or fiue dayes, giuing one day the casting w ^t Rewbarbe, & another day w ^t the Mū ­my aforesayd. Truly without doubt your hawke shal recouer if you folow this methode, vnlesse the lyuer be remoued out of his place, which somtimes doth happen by somegreat broose or straine. And you shall know it by a cōtinual hardnesse, which you shal feele in the hawkes panell, & by hir yellowe mewtes.

For this incōuenience there is no remedie in y ^e world to be had, although you wolde trye all y ^t medicines y ^t are to be vsed to hawkes, you shal profit nothing. It must nedes folow, that w ^tin fiue daies your hawke peke of y ^e perche. It is not curable.

Giordanus, an excellent Falconer, for y ^e indisposition & heate of the lyuer, willeth you to take halfe an ownce of Soldanel, and one ownce of Iroes, which is floure de Luce. You muste beate these into fine powder, & conuey it into your casting, & so giue it your hawke. Withall at nyght he willes you, when your hawke hath put ouer, and well skowred hir filth, feede hir with good meate, washt in these cooling waters following.

Take water of Endiue, Maydenheare, Cycorie, and Bu­glosse: in these waters may you wash your hawkes meate, as also hir casting, if it please you, wrapping in y ^e casting y ^e pou­der aforesayde. For what with the helpe of the one and the o­ther, no doubt you shall see a very good effect.

Moreouer the sayde Giordanus sayth, y ^t Gerfalcons are of al other y ^e hottest hawkes, & therfore to maintaine & kepe thē soūd he doth aduise to wash their castings in this water folowing.

Take Endiue water, Maydenheare, otherwise called Capil­lus Veneris, the water of Scabiosa, of eyther twoo ownces, one [Page 257] dramme of choise Rewbarbe, of the best Agarick one scruple, put these in infusion, where after they haue bin infused seuen houres, wash your Hawks casting in it. This order vse euer, when your Gerfalcon is out of tune, and it shall greatly pleasure hir.

Of diseases that happen to Hawkes feete, and first as touching the swelling of a Hawkes foote.

SOmetymes the arme and foote of a Hawke doeth swell, by meanes of yll humors that descende and drop downe, through weaknesse of the foote or arme, through ouergreat trauail & toile, through age, by reasō of some blow or broose receiued lōg before.

This mischiefe may easily bee discerned as well by vewe of eye as touch of hande: for besides that you shall plainly perceiue it in sight, you may feele a verie great heate in the member, so as sometimes the hawke is vnable to stande on hir legges, for paine and anguish thereof. Wherfore it is necessarie to looke to it with all care that may be, and so vse the matter, as the humor breede not the goute, or the pinne, which oftentymes happeneth to those poore byrdes, to their great and continuall plague.

The way to cure it, is to giue the humor a vent by launsing it, and after that to recomfort the member by often annoynting it with the white of an Egge, Vinegar, and Rose water, well beaten and coyled togither, or else with verie good olde Oyle of Oliues, such as you can come by out of a Bottell wherein Oyle hath beene long time kept: for those droppes that hardly come out of the Bottel, are farre better than any newe fresh Oyle, and are more medicinable in this case.

Moreouer besides the ceasing the paine, to delay the swelling, you shall finde it verie excellent good, to take the powder of Acacia, and terra Sigillata, of either four drammes, incorporating them with vineger, the white of an Egge, Rose water, and the iuyce of Nightshade, as muche as will suffice to make this vn­guent soft and delicate, and with this receyte to annoynt the hawkes foote or arme oftentimes for a space: for this vnguent no [Page 258] question, will both take away the immoderate ache and paine, as also mollifie and delay the swelling, and so restore your hawk to hir former plight againe.

An other approued medicine is, to annoynt the swelling of your hawkes foote with Olium Petroleum, (which is the oyle of a Rocke) and with Oyle of white Lillies, taking of eche of these like quantitie, the bloud of a Pigeon, and the tallow of a candle, heating all these togither a little at the fire. This vnguent will throughly resolue the mischiefe, or at the least, by resoluing the thinnest humors, bring it to that passe, as you shall see the grossest partes well digested, which you shall perceyue by the whitenesse and hardnesse therof. Then must you make an issue, by launcing finely with a knife the skin of the hurt place, and afterwards an­noint it for certaine dayes with the vnguent aforesayde, and it shall recouer.

Besides this, a very good remedie for the swelling in a hawkes foote, after a rupture made, is to vse this cerotte that followeth. Take Gumme Arabicke, Armoniacke, Sagapeum, a gumme so called, of either two drammes, Greeke Pitch, and ship Pitche, of eche a reasonable quantitie, Powder of Masticke three ounces, of Oyle of Iuniper, or of the Firre tree, new waxe as much as wil suffice to make a Cerot, according to Art: dissolue your gumms in Vineger, which done, spread of this vpon a pleggat of linnen cloth, applying it handsomly both within the foote and without, making certaine holes wherthrough to conuey the hawkes stret­chers or talons: Alwayes remembring if the swollen part be bro­ken before the application of your Cerot, to mundifie and clense the water and slime that is in the wound, and so euery two or three dayes to chaunge and renew your Cerot.

The vertue of it is to desiccat, comfort and mundifie the filth and quitture that is in the hurt member, whereby the hurt must of force be recouered.

Of the Gowte in a Hawke.

MAny times for all the care and remedies aforesayde, the gowte doth befall a Hawke, which is none other thing than [Page 259] a hard tumor and swelling, full of corruption aboute the ioyntes of a Hawkes foote and stretchers, which disease is verie painefull and offensiue, by meane whereof the Hawke cannot pray. Tru­ly the Gowte is an incurable euill, and may bee tearmed a ( nunquaem sanus.) Let falconers, and writors say what they lyst, I for my part, can this much assure you, that in all my life, I was neuer able by anye deuise to cure the Gowte confyrmed, whether it were for want of cunning in me, or by reason of the malignitie of the disease, whiche doeth rebell and scorne anye remedie that shall bee applyed vnto it. Yet notwithstanding, bycause it shall not seeme, that I doe it vpon slouth, and for desire to bee silent, I will laye downe some one remedie or two vsed by dyuerse Falconers, thoughe oft tymes to small pur­pose or successe.

Some for the Gowte, do vse to take the Pilles of wilde Ap­ples or Crabbes, wilde and sowre Sloes, the rinde of an Ashe, or the Keyes that grow vpon the Ashe beaten into small pow­der, mingling it with halfe a pounde of olde Oyle Oliue, all which they put into a Glasse Bottell: or other vessell of Glasse, close stopte wyth Paste, or suche lyke deuise, so as no breathe may issue foorthe of the Vessell, whiche done, they couer it in Sande in the Sunne, or in Horse dung, for the space of fortie dayes, and after that, they streyne it altogyther, so as the vertue of the ingredience maye bee incorporated wyth the Oyle. With this forsooth they annoynt the place, hoping to resolue and cure the Gowte, whiche I coulde neuer doe vpon a­ny Hawke of mine.

Other some doe accustome to annoynt the Gowte in a Hawke, with the milke or iuyce of Selendine, and the marrow of a Bacon hogge, and taking a peece of linnen clothe, do bath the member euery thirde day, with the strongest Vineger they can get, and do cause theyr Hawke to stande vpon all this, for remedie of the Gowte.

Againe, there are, that with the iuyce of Selendine, Vi­neger, and Honie, doe vaunte they haue made an vnguent, wherewith they haue done greate woonders. But bycause [Page 260] by experience I coulde neuer finde these to preuaile in the cure of the goute, I leaue to speake or wryte in commendation of the same, putting you out of all hope for recouerie of the same.

Of the Pin in the Hawkes foote, a disease much like the corne in the foote of a man. The Italians tearme them Chiodetti.

THere is yet one other euill which happeneth in the foote of a hawke, by meane of matter that powreth downe, in a maner as hard to be cured as the Goute, and as combersome to the fillie hawke as the Goute, for by reason of the Pyn she is neyther well able to foote hir pray, to feede hir selfe, nor yet to stande sure vpon hir Pearche.

The Pynne is a swelling disease, that doth resemble sharpe nayles, rysing vp in the bottome or palme of the Hawkes foote: and by reason it doeth so muche in shape resemble a nayle, by meane of the sharpnesse thereof, those swellings are called by the Falconers of Italie Chiodetti, as a man woulde terme them in English, small nayles, of which verie fewe Hawkes can bee recured.

Yet for remedie of this disease, some do aduise to open the vain of the leg, a thing not only friuolous to talke of, and a verie olde womans fable, or Cantorburie tale, but also verie perillous to be put in practise. For truly neither wil I my selfe at any time pra­ctise it, ne yet aduise others to do it. I can more cōmend, that you mollifie and make soft the sayde Pyn with strong Vineger, the best that may be gotten, which done, pare it till the bloud follow after: then to bring it to maturation, and to ripen it, applie hand­somly vpon it in a linnen plegget, a quantitie of vnguent made of iuyce of Lemmons, one ounce & a halfe of hennes greese, three drammes powder of Masticke, leaues of Bittonie, and Fran­kensense, or Olibanum, a reasonable portion, and so much newe waxe as will serue the purpose.

Besides this, I doe vse to boyle in good white wine, all [Page 261] these things togither, Waxe, Oyle of bitter Almondes, of eche lyke quantitie, a little Sage, Frankinsense, Rewe, Rosema­rie, to the consumption of three partes, then pounding well all these wyth Turpentine and yellowe Waxe, I make an vnguent of excellent vertue and operation. And if by these remedyes aforesayde, the Pynne become to be soft, and forgo his hardnesse, then doeth it behoue you, to cutte it out from the roote, as lowe as is possible, and to drye it vppe with Agrippa, an vnguent so called, and with Gratia dei, mingling these two togyther by equall portions, as muche of the one as of the other.

Ouer and besides all these, the playster that is called Empla­strum Sacrum, and Isis, whom the Apothecaries do so terme, are of singular vertue, bycause they doe mollifie, and desiccate the wounde or disease. I cannot remember, that aboue twice, I coulde euer doe any good vpon my Hawkes herewith (nor with any other remedie) and therefore I will leaue to make any fur­ther recitall hereof.

There be some ventrous Falconers, that will with a caute­rizing yron go about to roote and burne out the Pinne, which I will at no time endeuour to doe, doubting least thereby I shall shrinke my Hawkes sinewes, and spoyle my Hawke, by meanes they are so neare neighbours to the Hart.

Of the breaking of a Pounce, or Cley of your Hawke.

SEyng that I haue begonne to wryte, and decipher you the mischiefes that doe happen to Hawkes feete, it shall not bee besyde my purpose, nor amisse, to saye somewhat of the cure of theyr Pounces and Talons, when eyther by stryking the fowle, or by any other accident, they breake cleane off, or riue in sunder.

Wherfore when your Hawke happeneth to haue this mischief, the part of the pounce, or the whole pounce beeing broken away, you muste applie vnto it the bladder of the gall of a Henne, [Page 262] vsing the matter so as it may get into the broken Talon, byn­ding it so handsomely and artificially to the Hawkes foote, as the gall may not issue out, nor fall away from the place. This deuise will stoppe the bloude, ceasse the paine, and within foure or fiue dayes, fasten and harden the horne of the Pounce, so as the Hawke shall be able to flee: and if she be a falcon, she shall strike or ruffe a Ducke as before hir hurt.

And to the ende your Hawke teare it not awaye with hir beake, it shall be necessarie eyther to clappe hir on a hoode with a false beake made vnto it, or to fasten to hir hoode a peece of leather artificially, so long and large as maye serue the turne, to arme hir beake, so as in time hir Pounce, if it bee but broken, maye waxe hole againe: or if it bee cleane ryued awaye, a newe may growe in the place agayne.

Let this suffice as touchyng the breaking or ryuing of the Pounce of a Hawke.

VVhen the thigh or legge of a Hawke is out of ioynt.

BY some outwarde accident, many tymes the thighe or legge of a Hawke is become out of ioynt: wherefore it shall be ve­rie necessarie in this case, as soone as is possible, to set it in his right and naturall place againe, to the ende that no matter nor fluxe of humor descende or distill, to hinder the setting of it in ioynt againe, whiche must needes ensue if it be not regarded in time. Which done, set the Hawke in some such place, where she shall haue no occasion to bate or broyle with hir selfe, but bee at the greatest quiet and rest shee maye, applying medicines that haue vertue to desiccate and strengthen the hurte member, which you shall doe, by bathing a Linnen plegget, or a plegget of Flaxe in the white of an Egge, Oyle of Roses, and Tur­pentine, with two drammes of Saenguis Draconis, and of A­loes incorporated togyther, and bynding it aboute the thigh or legge whiche is out of ioynt, and fastning ouer and aboue the sayd plegget a slender roller of linnen cloth, to conserue and kepe [Page 263] it the more firmely and stayedly in the place where you woulde haue it to remayne. Vsing the matter thus ten dayes togyther, shifting and renewing the medicine euerye two dayes once, to the ende the plegget waxe not ouer drie and stiffe to the hurte member.

I can lyke verie well withall, if before you applie this sayde medicine, you bathe well the thigh or legge of the Hawke with a reasonable warme lotion or bath, made of Wine, Roses dried, Myrrhe, Sage, Comfrey, Camomill, and Rosemarie: for these will warme and comfort the nerues and sinewes, and withall drie vp such fluxe of humor, as shall poure downe vpon the lame and broosed member.

When a Hawke hath broken a thigh or a legge.

IF by any mishap your Hawke haue broken an arme or a leg, as sundrie tymes Falcons that are fowle slayers doe vse to doe, by some strype, or encounter at the Brooke with a strong fowle, you must with all care and speede, sette right the broken bones in their naturall place againe: whiche done, deplume and plucke away the feathers from the member that is hurt, round a­bout the wounde.

• Then take
  • Bole Armoniake
  • Aloes Epatick of the best,
  • Saenguis Draconis,
  Of eche a reasonable quantitie, made into fine powder.
• After that take of
  • Beane floure,
  • Barly floure,
  • Linsede floure,
  Of eche one dramme.
• Then take of
  • Oyle of Dill,
  • Oyle of Roses,
  Of eche two drammes.
• Then take
  • The white of an Egge,
  • The mucillage of Fenegreke,
  • The mucillage of Linseede,
  • The mucillage of Hollihock,
  So muche of these as will serue too make a playster ac­cording to arte.

[Page 264]When you haue made this playster, spreade a portion of it thinne, vpon Flaxe or Linte well towsed, applying it vpon the rupture and broken place, wyth as greate cunning and care as you can: you can not vse it too daintily, when you applie it, bycause of the tendernesse of the hurt. This done, bynde it with a fine Linnen roller to staye the playster. Then make fine splets of Timber, all of one length, thinne as may be, and in fashion like the scales of a Sworde scabbarde, whome you must enwrappe in Lynt for broosing the member. These splets bestowe orderly aboute your Hawkes legge or thighe on euerie side, bynding them with the Linnen rollers or fillets artificially, but neyther so loosely as the bones may slippe out of theyr place, ne yet so streightly, but that the hurt member may receyue hys naturall nourishment and comfort. For otherwise it woulde be mortified, and the vse of it lost.

This ligature and rolling of the member, must be continued at the least .xxx. dayes, for that the bone cannot close againe firm­ly vnder one Monethes space. Yet can I wishe, that you vn­binde your rollers, and chaunge your medicine, twice at the least in the first fiftene dayes, dealing so daintily as the bones may not sunder thereby. And by meane thereof will your medicine, and the ligature, worke the better effect.

Lastly, it shall not be amisse, after you haue thus done, to vse for three or foure dayes this lotion or water, to bath your hawkes legge, to strengthen and comfort the place.

Take Roche Alom one dramme, Roses dryed, the pyll or rind of Pomgranets, and Frankinsense, of ech a small quantitie, white Wine as muche as will suffise: wherein you must boyle these things aforesayd, to the consumption of halfe the wine, with this lotion, bath your hawkes thighe and legge, plucking away the feathers as aforesayde. And this shall comfort the member, so as no fluxe of humors shall repayre to the place.

Besides all this, you must not forget, during the time of this cure, to keepe your diseased Hawke remoued from all noyse and accesse of people: and if this misfortune befall hir in the Winter time, you must set hir warme.

[Page 265]Moreouer, it shall be good and necessarie in the beginning of your cure, to giue your hawke,

• 1 Aloes washt, or
• 2 Agarick in Trocysckes

to scoure hir, to the ende there grow no inflamations. And with­all to feede hir with good meate, the better to mainteyne hir in state during the cure.

It will be good for you to vse the helpe of some Apotheca­rie for the confection of the playster, as also for your lotion or bathe: for the more artificially it is made, the better effect it will take. Truely it doth stande with good reason, that it will recure your Hawke, the receyte is so good. All the care must be in the daintie handling of the broken member, and in rolling and spleting it orderly.

Of stripes and brooses in a hawke.

HAwkes are wont diuerse times to receiue stripes and blowes by other fowles, as the Falcon by encounter with a Heron, and sometimes by some other accident, as by carying hir in a hawks bag vpō occasion, or by rashing into bushes and thornes, or such like hurtfull places.

These strypes and hurtes either are simple hurtes (as they are termed) that is to say in the skinne and fleshe of a Hawke only, or else compoundes, as when a nerue and sinewe is prickt, or cut in sunder.

The symple woundes and hurtes are of slender or no daun­ger at all, and will bee recured lightly agayne, eyther with the iuyce of Orgium, or a bathe and lotion made of Masticke, Aloes, and Myrrhe, two drammes, Pympernell, Comfrey, and Sage, of eyther a handefull and a halfe, of Agresta cleare and good, sixe poundes, putting all these things aforesayde, Agresta. into a stone Vessell made verye cleane, or else into an earthen potte, there suffering it to boyle so long with a close couer vppon it, vntill two thirde partes of the Agresta bee wasted and consu­med. Then strayning it verie well, adding vnto it one ounce [Page 266] of powder of Myrtils. This may you reserue to vse as a blessed and soueraigne medicine.

There is yet one other notable medicine, deuised by maister Fredericke Zorzi, and oftentymes approued by me, with verie good successe.

Take good Aloes, Myrrhe, Olibanum, and Saenguis Draeconis, of either one dramme, of fine Graynes one scruple: beate all these into powder, and infuse them in two ounces of Aqua vitae, for the space of twelue houres: then after strayne it verie well, and of this vse to the hurtes of your Hawkes head, and also to hir shoul­ders, if they receyue any broose or stripe.

But in any condition I cannot allowe the vse of Oyle of Roses, in hurtes of the heade, as it seemes, that the sayde Authour woulde haue it.

If your Hawkes skinne of hir thigh or hinder partes be bro­ken, fretted awaye, or hurt by bearing hir in a close Canuas bagge, or such like, you maye easily recouer hir with thys de­uise. The leaues of dryed Sage beaten to powder, or the pow­der of Olibanum, or Masticke, bathing the hurt with white wine, when you meane to applie the powder, and in two or three dayes you shall see it recouered.

But if the stripe be ioyned and matched with the offence of any nerue or sinewe, then will it be a harder matter to cure, for that the hurt is of greater importaunce and daunger, for then is it wont to be full of paine, and to cause inflamation. Wherefore in this case, the best remedie that can be deuised is, excellent good Oyle powred reasonable hote into the hurt, taking away the fea­thers first that are about the wounde, and vsing this bathe about the member where the hurt is.

Take Roche Alome one dramme, dryed Roses, ryndes of Pomegranettes, and Myrrhe, of eche a quantitie, boyling all these in good odoriferous white Wine to the consumption of halfe.

No question this will greatly comfort the wounde, and hin­der the fluxe of humors, that otherwise woulde flowe downe to the place, and breede an Apostume.

[Page 267]Much more might be sayd of stripes and brooses of hawkes, but I doe leaue you ouer to the learned Phisitions, and skilfull Surgeons, bycause I will not ouerwearie you with tedious circumstaunces: accounting it sufficient for mee, to haue layde downe the cures for most ordinarie hurtes, which doe ryfest hap­pen to Hawkes, and of such as haue tymes past by fortune come to my handes. If you couet to haue greater store of medi­cines, for the cure of any member or hurt part of your Hawke, I aduise you that haue skill in the Italian tongue, to flee ouer to Messier Frederigo Giorgi, his practise, plainely and excellent­ly set downe in his booke of Falconrie, from whence I haue collected sundrye things. But as touching these hurtes and strypes of Hawkes, I haue not borrowed muche of him, but haue in this parte of my collection, more vsed the briefe cure of Francesco Sforzino Vicentino, that excellent Italian Gentle­man Falconer.

Of Hawkes Life.

HAuing hithervnto spoken of such diseases and greefes, as for the most part Hawkes are troubled withall within their bo­dies: nowe remayneth that in fewe speeches I shew you a re­medie for vermin and Life, a particular passion and affection that lighteth on the skinne of a Hawke, and specially about hir heade, the plie of hir wings, and hir trayne: for in deede these Life and Mytes doe chiefly raigne and lodge in those three partes of the Hawkes more than in any other.

Falconers doe vse to ridde these vile wormes and Life in the Winter time, by taking of pepper beaten to powder two drams, of warme water one pounde, or as much as will suffice, ming­ling the Pepper and water well togither, and then to pepper (as we terme it) or washe all hir feathers with the sayde lotion or bathe, and specially those partes of the Hawke whereof I spake before, where the Mites and Life do most haunte: whiche done, they set the Hawke on a perche, with hir trayne and backe to the Sunne ward, holding in their handes a small sticke one handfull [Page 268] long, on the toppe whereof they fasten a peece of waxe, either red, or greene, and with that, (while the Hawke doth weather hir) they take away the Life and Mytes crawling vpon the feathers, so as before the Hawke be throughly dryed and weathered, what with the waxe, and their owne dropping away, there will not be a vermin left about the hawke. For the Pepper and water doth so much disease them, as they are enforced to leaue their accu­stomed lodgings: then the heate of the Sunne, or fire, helpes to make them shew themselues: and the waxe by cleauing to them, vtterly and clearely riddes the hawke of them.

I haue seene some Falconers adde vnto the Pepper and water, a quantitie of Stauesagre, as an enimie to the life and mytes, by meane of strength and force that is in it: and I take it to be verie necessarie to be added in this medicin to the Pepper, for the better dispatch of those vile vermines, which do so much vex and annoy the hawke, as she can by no meanes keepe hir selfe in good state, whilest she is incombred with them.

You must remember to pepper your hawke in this maner, as I haue shewed you, in a verie warme sunnie day, when there is no winde at all blowing in the Skie. But if by fortune you bee enforced to do it in another time, when the weather is colde, and the Sunne not shining, then must you set your hawke by the fire to weather hir, and drie hir feathers: but neither must the fire be ouer hote, nor the gorge of your Hawke towardes the fire, whereof I haue giuen you aduertisement before, in those pre­cepts which are to be obserued of a good Falconer. For if you set hir with the gorge to the fire, no doubt, she will receyue no small harme and inconuenience thereby, and for the moste part death ensues of it.

In the Sommer time you may dispatch your hawke of the Life & Mites with Auripigmentū beaten into verie fine pouder, bestowing and sifting it betwixt the hawkes feathers with your fingers, and specially in those places where they doe most vsually haunt, alwayes hauing regarde that none of the powder come into your hawkes eyes for offending hir. And after the bestow­ing of this powder, you must in no wise bespowt hir with water [Page 269] (as some do vse to doe) to the great hurt and mischiefe of those poore byrdes. For the bathing or spowting hir with water, is a meane to make the powder to frette awaye, and consume the Hawkes feathers.

Some other affyrme, that Mynt leaues boyled in water, to the consumption of a thirde part, bathing the Hawke therewith somewhat warme, will dispatch the Lise and Mytes, but for my part, I neuer approued this medicine, and therefore can saye little of it.

Let these suffise as touching the peppering of lowsie hawkes, for of all other plagues that befall the Hawke, I account thys the least, bycause they may most easily be destroyed, as dayly ex­perience doth teach vs: and yet the remedies for them good to be knowne, bycause you shall seldome or neuer buy a Hawke from the Cage that is not lowsie, or set your Hawke on a Perche where a lowsie Hawke hath stoode, and she shall be assured to be neuer a lowse the worse for it.

Of misfortunes that happen to Hawkes in the mew. And first of all, of their laying egges in the mew.

IN the mew Hawkes are subiect to sundrie accidents. Among all which (to passe ouer the gresinesse and excessiue glitte, that they are surcharged withall, hauing somewhat toucht that mat­ter in the Chapter of the Goute) the greatest mishap that may be is, when Hawkes fall to laying egges, and to be with egge in the mewe. For in verie deede this is a great mischiefe, and dy­uers tymes doth kill the hawke.

You shall first perceyue it by the creaking and crying that they vse in the mewe sometymes, and otherwhiles on the perche, albeit now and then they do it for egernesse and apetite, when they are sharpe set: which as it is easily founde, so is it as quickly remedied.

A man shall knowe when they fall to lyking and laying, by this, from the necke of the Hawke, downe to the verie middle of [Page 270] hir traine, there is vpon the feather, a certaine thing like the floure of Branne, of a pale and ashie colour.

And bycause this accident happeneth by meane of too muche daintinesse, and lustfull pride of the Hawke, it shall bee good to keepe hir low, and to holde a hard hand ouer hir, pinching hir of hir feeding, giuing hir liquide and moyst fleshe, from the middle of Aprill, to the ende of May, which is the only time to be feared of all the yeare for this matter. When the Hawke doth leaue hir croaking and crying in the mewe, it is a manifest proofe that she is with Egge, whiche you shall knowe, both by hir grossnesse and filling in the pannell, as also by hir ydle standing withoute list to feede. And if happely the Egges bee growne any thing great within hir, you shall hardly hinder hir, but that shee will lay them. Therefore (as I tell you) it shall be good in tyme to looke vnto it, keeping hir lowe in Aprill and May. And in those monethes to minister vnto hir, Aloes Epaticke washt, a quan­titie of Saffron lapped in Bombast or Cotton, wherevpon con­uey a little Flaxe or Towe, and make a casting or scouring of it, thrusting it downe hir throte into hir gorge, the Hawke be­ing both emptie panneld, and hauing no meate aboue to put o­uer, keeping hir on the fist after it, till such time the scouring be in hir gorge. Of this and suche like scourings may you giue your hawke euery third or fourth day, for foure or fiue times, feeding hir with liquid meates, such as will lightly be indewed. And v­sing this order, no doubt your hawke shall do well.

Againe it is verie good agaynste the same mischiefe, to cause your Hawke in foure or fiue byttes of meate, to take a quantitie of Saffron in chyues, vsing hir after the manner and forme aforesayde.

Moreouer it is a very good way, to delay and kill the list and lyking of a Sparhawke, to feede hir for three, foure, or moe dayes, if you thinke good, with liquid meates washt in water, wherin the great pilles of Ornus haue beene infused for the spare of eight or ten dayes, being finely cut to peeces. But it shoulde be farre better, if you cause those rindes and pilles to bee boyled in water, so long vntill they become softe and tender, and then to [Page 271] wash your Hawkes meate therein.

If your Hawke bee with Egge (as they terme it) so as you may perceiue and feele the egges within hir, besides those foresaid remedies, it shall be good to annoynt hir tuell with oyle Olife: which being done, conuey in thy forefinger at hir tuell, as finely as thou canst, to feele the egges, whiche if thou once feele, gripe thy Hawkes pannell softly for hurting hir, forcing downwards the egge towardes thy finger in hir tuell, and if it be possible so bring it away cleane, and rid thy hawke of it: but if thou canst not do it, breake it euen there right, and afterwarde bestowe a clyster vpon thy hawke of things lenitiue, to make hir mewt and slise well: for by this meane (as my Italian Authour doth in­forme me) thou shall discharge thy hawke of this mischiefe, and bring hir to be in perfite state againe.

To cause a Hawke to mewe fast and well.

SOmetimes it so falleth out, that Hawkes doe not mewe in time, so as they may be flowen with in the pleasant tyme of the yeare, nor be drawne when other Falconers do accustome to drawe their hawkes, but they come so late as the yeare is farre spent, and small pleasure to bee taken in keeping or fleeing with them, for which a man is sometimes driuen of force to vse deuise to further the matter, and to practise to make hir mew sooner than hir accustomed maner is to mew of hir selfe. Wherfore to make a hawke mewe timely, the surest and best way is to cast hir off into a good mewe for the purpose, (made in maner as I haue taught you before) and there to allow hir of the best hote meates that may be had, as Quayles, Pigeons, and Sparrowes, and now and then among, to set hir in the mewe some vessell, large and deepe, conueniently filled with water, wherein your hawke may bowse and bath at hir pleasure.

But if this ordinarie kinde of good and kindely mewing will not serue the turne, (which seldome, or neuer almost happe­neth to Goshawkes, for that by this former fashion & vsage they [Page 272] do vse to mewe verie well and orderly) then (as I sayde) it beho­ueth to assist and further nature by Arte and Phisicke, to cause a Hawke to mewe tymely.

To helpe in this case, those kyrnelles or small nuttes, whiche are growing vnder the throte of a Weather, are verie good (as mine Authour affyrmeth) vsing them euery thirde day, for thrice, or thereaboutes, allowing a Sparrowhawke three or foure of them at once, being both emptie gorged and panneld. But you may giue a Falcon sixe or more at one time, holding the hawke on the fist, till she beginne to slise and mewte, and after that a space feede hir with good hote meate, alwayes remembring, that if the hawke do loath the taking of them, (as happely shee will) or doe not verie well brooke them after she hath taken them, then that you giue hir respite betwixte tymes, for three or foure dayes togither, to the ende shee may not finde hir selfe cloyed with them.

If at the ende of eight dayes she beginne to cast any feather, then may you into the mewe with hir, without more a doe: but if not, then must you fall to giuing hir of those glandulous kir­nels of the Weather againe, once or twice more: for vsing it in this order the seconde time, without question, within sixe or seuen dayes shee will cast the backe feathers, or hir sarcels or flagges: thē must you throw hir into the mew, giuing hir water to bath, for shee will verie muche couet the water, and you shall see hir within two or three dayes so bare and in a maner cleane with­out feathers, as she will not be able for lacke of them, to flee to hir ordinarie stande or pearch. Wherefore I can commende, and aduise you to haue some lowe perche and stande for hir in the mewe, wherevnto shee may iumpe when she hath cast hir fea­thers, so as she is vnable to flee. Especially remembring to feede hir all that while she is so without feathers, twice in a day, al­lowing hir such and so much meate, as she can endew, and make away with. For all that tyme will she couet great gorges, and ridde great store of meate, vntill shee haue recouered hir cote a­gaine. And to restrayne hir, or keepe a harde hand vpon hir, ha­uing mewed hir feathers, and being now at poynt to put forth [Page 273] newe in their places, wyll breede hir feathers to bee full of tayntes, and ill fauoured, and besides that hir sarcelles and principalls will not be so long and large as they ought to be, by meanes whereof she will not be able to flee so well as shee was accustomed.

Some others, to cause a hawke to mewe speedely, do wyll you to enwrappe hir meate in the powder of a Frogge, dryed in an Ouen, or Fornace.

Other some, in the powder of a Cuttell bone, taking of the powder of this fishe bone, to the weyght of a pennie. But these practises and deuises I did neuer approoue, and therfore do committe them to the discretion of the Reader.

Of accidentes that happen and lyght vpon a hawkes feathers, and firste, how to vse the matter, when a feather cannot be imped.

DIuers and sundrie tymes it so falles oute, that a hawkes feather beeyng drawen out of the wyng or trayne, by vio­lence and force, the hole closes vp, and shuttes after it pre­sently, in suche sorte, as a newe feather can by no meanes growe and spring vp in the place, to serue the hawkes turne and vse agayne.

For remedie heereof, some doe wyll a man to make the hole agayne, where it was before, and to open it a freshe, with a Barlye grayne, dryed so as it bee not burnte. Then after that, to keepe it open, that it runne not togyther a­gayne, you muste frame a small pellette of Larde, or boyled Hoonie, whiche being conueyed into the hole, will there abyde, vntill suche time as the shooting oute of the new feather do re­moue it, and displace it.

Some other time it happeneth a feather to be broken in the quill, so neere the wing, as it is not possible to ympe it againe: [Page 274] then do they vse, (to make the quill to fall and droppe away withoute payne to the Hawke) this deuise. They annoynte the place with the bloude of a yong Ratte, whiche will cause the broken quyll to come away. After which, to kepe the hole pen, they vse the helpe aforesayde, with the Barly corne.

These twoo cures, I neuer tryed, bycause it was neuer my happe, (I thanke fortune) to stand needefull of the practise. But truely I like neyther of them so well, as I can greately commende them.

Otherwhile it chaunceth, through the hurte of a Hawkes wing, that one or twoo of hir Flagges, long feathers, or Sar­celles, are broosed, and thereby bothe put hir to greate paynes, and eake hinder hir fleeing. Wherefore, it shall be in this case very necessarie, as soone as it happeneth, to looke and vewe the wing well, whither there be any bloude, muche or little, in the quill that is broosed, in maner aforesayde: which if be so, it shal be nedefull to pierce it with a sharpe needle, or such like instru­mente, to gyue the bloude yssewe, before suche time as it bee congealed and waxen harde. And after that, to annoynte the broose (and especially, where the blacke bloude is) with olde larde, and restie Bacon.

Moreouer, it shall be very good to cease the payne, to poure vppon the hurte place, three or foure droppes of good Oyle of Roses, somewhat hotte, whiche hauing vsed for the space of three or foure dayes, it shall not bee amisse, to bathe it with Aqua vitae, to drye and resolue it. If you vse this meane in the beginning, when the hurt is firste taken, no doubt, it wyll breede resolution.

But if by negligence or otherwise, it be foreslacked at first, so as the broosed Sarcell, or other feather growe oute of or­der, and crosse the nexte feather to it in fleeing, and by that meane bee a hinderance to the Hawke, and a payne, it shall be good to cutte it off in the quill. And to the ende there may growe another second feather in the place of that, whiche is so spoyled and cutte off, it shalbe well done, to make the quill to [Page 275] droppe away. To bring that to passe, firste of all wipe wel the bloude congealed and corrupted within the place, and after that, fill it with Aqua vitae, of the beste that may bee gotten, and deale so artificially, as the Aqua vitae may staye, and not droppe out of the place. Which muste be done, by stopping the hole with waxe, or such like deuise. This Aqua vitae, by meane of the heat of it, will cause the quill to fal away within eight dayes, or little more, by meane whereof there may shoote oute a newe feather.

The way and manner, howe to ympe a Havvkes feather, hovvsoeuer it be broken or broosed.

SOmetymes it so falleth oute, that the feathers of a hawkes wing, or trayne, bee broken, wherevppon it is bothe ne­cessarie and needefull, to sette other lyke in theyr steades. Whiche feare, wee terme, the ymping of a hawkes fea­ther.

This may be done in foure seueral manners and fashions, after that the feather is broken.

For firste, in the greater and huger sorte of hawkes, The first way to ympe a Hawke. if a feather bee broken one fingers breadth, or thereaboutes, with­in the quill, then your nexte remedie is, to sheare it off with a payre of Syssers, or sheares, to the ende it may not cleeue or ryue any further. Then hauing prepared a like feather to the same, of some other Hawke or fowle, resembling the broken feather: you muste cutte the quyll of it, and so force it togyther, as it maye enter the broken quyll of the Hawkes feather, annoynting it before you thruste it in, or seeme to place it for good and all, in the gummie fatte of a fygge, the yolcke of an egge, or some kinde of Semonde made of purpose, thrusting it very directly into the truncke and quill of the broken feather, and as wee maye terme it, graffing the one in the other. And to the ende [Page 276] it maye haue the better holde, and the faster staye, it shall not bee amysse, to ciynte, or nayle them faste togyther, with the poynte of a Partridge feather, taking the very toppe of it, and strypping awaye the feathers on eyther syde the webbe: and after that, making a small hole with a slender needle, so as it passe through bothe the quilles, as well that whiche stycketh faste in the hawkes wing, as the other bo­rowed and adopted feather, drawing through the hole made with the needle, the poynte of the Partridges feather, to fyll vp the hole agayne. Whiche done, cut it off close by the webbe finely on eyther side, and so will it stande very handsomely, faste, and almost not to be discerned, but to be the hawkes na­turall feather.

The seconde manner of ymping.But if a Sarcell, a Flagge, or a Trayne feather bee bro­ken, or slyued amydde the quyll, so as another feather ymped in him after the manner aforesayde, can well take no holde, or stande sure: Then shall it bee necessarie to take a Iunyper sticke, or suche like drye tymber, and thereof to make a small sharpe pegge, so as it may enter the quyll, whiche done, dyppe the one ende of it in Glewe, Semonde, or the slyme of the fishe, whome my Author termeth a Colpisce, the Germaines a Leymefische, (a fishe, as Gesnerus reporteth, so softe and tender, as beeyng sodde, or fryed, he falleth all to a gellie, or glewe, for whiche cause hee is detested greately, and bannished all mens tables.) He is headded like an Ape, and for that occasion (called of diuers, Marmotum, as we may interprete it, a Mar­moset, or an Ape.) In the slyme (I saye) of this fishe, dyppe your Iuniper sticke thrusting it into the broken quill, remē ­bring to place it so aptly, as it may be without the quill, of iust size to answere y ^e length of y ^e feather when it was sound & vn­broken. Then do put y ^e other end likewise in the glew, or Se­mond, cōueying it by force into y ^e quil of the fether which you haue gotten, so close as the one quill touche the other directly. After all this, fasten & clynte both y ^e quils to y ^e Iuniper pegge, w ^t a Partridge his feather, as before. And if it were so, as the [Page 277] quill were slyued or rente, pierce it through with a needle and threede, and with the threed bind it harde to the sticke, on both sides the quil, and it will hold very faste, and serue the hawkes turne in hir flight in steade of a naturall feather.

If a sarcell, or other feathers be broken aboue the quyll, The thirde manner of ymping. to­wards the poynt of y ^e fethers twoo or three fingers bredth, you must cut it off with a sharpe penknife, aslope, and (as they say) a swashe, & then take another like feather to the same, cutting it in like maner, as you did the other, so as it may fitte with y ^e same feather, both for length and cutte. Which done, with an ymping needle sayde in Vyneger and salte, so close them to­gither, as they may be thought to be one feather.

The laste maner of ymping is, The fourth & last man­ner of ymping when a feather is not quyte broken off, but broosed, and (as it were) but markte, so as it can not bee holpen and righted agayne with warme water. In this case it shall be better, rather to cutte awaye the fea­thers, onely to cutte the nether parte of the webbe, iuste ouer agaynst the broosed place, leauing the vpper parte whole and vntouchte: then to take a long slender needle, like a Glouers needle, and to threede it, and hauing so done, to thruste the eye of the needle beeing threeded, into the greater parte of the fea­ther towardes the quyll, forcing the poynte of it so hard with a thymbell, as it may bee cleane hydde in the feather, and no parte of it to bee seene. After that, ioyning bothe sides of the broosed feather togyther, where you cutte the webbe, drawe the threede as harde and as streyghte as you can possible, so as the poynte of the needle, by pulling of the threede that han­geth out, may so farre enter the vpper parte of the feather, as it maye bee halfe on the quyll side, and the other halfe on the poynt of the broosed feather, which wil strengthen the feathers maruelously. This done, cutte off the threede, which was for none other purpose put there, but to draw the point of the nee­dle backe into the vpper parte of the feather.

Hovv to ympe the trayne of a havvke, beeing all broken, and neuer a feather whole or sound.

MAnye tymes it so fortunes, as the trayne of a hawke is quite spoyled, and no one feather lefte to serue the turne. Wherefore it shall be necessarie in this case, to set your hawke a newe trayne, which is done after this manner.

You muste take a peece of paper as bygge as your hande, in the myddle whereof you muste slytte a hole, through which conuey the hawkes trayne being broken, vp to the very rumpe of hir, drawing backe throughe the sayde slytte of the paper, all the brayles and smal fethers of the trayne that grow about the hawkes tewell, both aboue and beneath, so as there appere none at all, but the long feathers, vppon whiche you meane to woorke your feate. Then cutte off those long trayne feathers w ^t a fine penknife, beginning frō the first, second, third, fourth, fifte, and so on the other side of the trayne in like manner, and you must cut them off aslope, sidewayes, towards the toppe of the truncke or quill, vntill you come to the twoo couert fea­thers, which twoo you must cut directly, & not sloping, as you did y ^e rest. So as when you haue done, the trayne of y ^e hawke may be in shape like the pypes of a payre of Organes. Then take the trayne of a mewed Iay, (if it be possible, bicause they are the fayrest feathers beeing mewed) setting in euery quyll of the hawkes trayne, one feather of the Iaye, orderly, the first feather of the Iaye, in the firste quill of the Sparowhawke, and so consequently. And if the Iayes feather will not enter the hawkes quill, then muste you cutte it a little, and broosing it with your finger, force it into the cutte quill, anoynting the ende of the borowed feather in the fatte of a sigge, the yolcke of an egge, or suche like stuffe, and so placing it right and di­rectly with the hawkes feather. Hauing set one feather in this order aforesayde, on the one side of the hawkes trayne, passe ouer to the other firste feather of the other side, and do in lyke [Page 279] manner, alwayes placing and ymping them so, as in length, and eache condition else, they may agree fully with the natu­rall feather of the hawke: and so from one to the other, vntill you come to the twoo couert feathers, whiche you muste sette laste of all the rest, and those in so good order, as your eye may iudge them to be excellently ymped by the iuste lengthe & syze of them. After all this, take awaye your paper, and with a knife wette in a little spittell, go ouer all the ymped feathers, putting y ^e knife betwixte euery quyll, close by y ^e rump of your hawke, and so go along the feather, to cut away all such small feathers, as shall be out of order, by meane of the ymping and cutting of the feather in the trayne of your hawke. Whiche done feather by feather, set your hawke firste on your fiste, and so after a space on the perche, that she may tricke hir selfe, and right and enoyle hir feathers with hir beake.

Here will I not omitte to remember euery good Falconer, that he haue in his house, and in a readinesse about him at all tymes, his ymping needles, and suche like necessarie imple­mentes, to serue the turne withall, and to lende his compani­ons, if they neede. For it shall redounde to his credit greatly, and by meanes thereof he shall be accompted a gallant Gen­tleman, and a good fellowe.

Now in myne owne opiniō, I haue discoursed sufficient­lye of all diseases, & made you priuie to the Italians order of phisicking his hawke, whiche I can very well commende, as greatly agreable to reason. Yet neuerthelesse in this last part, you shall for your greater store of remedies, and better know­ledge, haue the Frenche Falconers manner of dealing w ^t their hawkes set downe. But before I do that, I will write some­what to instruct you howe to prepare your Mummie, a very necessary thing to be learned, and with­oute the whiche you oughte to bee at no time, if you meane to kepe hawkes, and to haue them in good order and tune.

The waye and meane to prepare Mummie for Falcons, and other birds of praye, and when and howe it oughte to be gyuen.

SYthence that in these receytes for hawkes diseased & sicke, I haue diuers times made mention of Mummy, and of other medicines appropriate and peculiar to sundrie griefes, here I thinke it not amisse, to laye downe the meane, how to prepare it for the vse and benefite of all Falconers, that shall haue oc­casion to imploye it to any sicke hawke: For that in cure of a broose, I take it to be the most ready and exquisite way to re­couer the hurte hawke againe.

Mummie is prepared in this manner.

First, you must take Nutmegges, in number four, Cloues, Ginger, & Cynamon, of eyther halfe an ownce, Saffron one dramme, reducing all these to fine pouder. Boyle them in an earthen potte well glazed, & couered close with a reasonable quantity of good Malmesie, to the cōsumption of a third part: then take Mummie three ownces, or foure, or so much as shall content you, beating it to pouder, and putting it into a lynnen cloth, so bounde, as it may by no meanes ifsew out of y ^e same. Hang it so by a string fastned to a sticke, as it may not reache the bottom of the pot, but as it may be infused in y ^e very mid­dle of the Malmesie, which you must cause to boyle againe at a soft fire, so long vntil there be a cōsumption of another thirde part. Which done, take it from y ^e fire, & let y ^e Mummie, being so bounde in y ^e lynē cloth, rest for y ^e space of four or fiue hours, to the ende the vertue of those pouders may pierce and enter the Mummie, which by this meane will become very perfect. And hauing done al this, kepe the Mūmie out of the sunne & winde in y ^e shade, in the self same cloth wherin it was infused, vntil it be perfectly drye againe, and the vse it in pouder at your nede, eyther strewing it vpon your hawkes meate, or gyuing it in & casting of Cotton, as I haue taught you before.

[Page 281]There is a kind of pill or past, deuised by that noble Gentle­man, Hierom Cornarus of famous memorie, for sicke Falcons which haue lost their appetite, and day by day become megre and lowe, making a blacke mewte, of full of flesh vndigested, which is prepared in this maner following.

Take Saffron, Agaricke, Cubebes, Frankinsense, Rewe, Cloues, Cinamom, fine Aloes, of eyther two scruples, two Nutmegs, choyce Mummy, Rewbarbe of the best, of eyther one dramme, and the fifte parte of the marrowe of a Beefe, or Veale, as muche as will suffise to make a mixture of these powders aforesaid: of al whiche you must make a pill or paste, giuing thereof to the huger sorte of Hawkes as muche as a Beane in a pill, in manner aforesayd.

This is a very good receyte, but not so good as this vnder­writtē, which is deuised by ( Messer Manoli) the Falconer to the renowmed Signor Bartelmewe Aluiano, and practised vppon his Falcons, being sicke, and ill affected in their gorges. He was wont to take Triacle, Hiera Pigra, Cassea Lignea, Cloues, Cinamom, Aloes, Galenga, Agaricke of the best, Si­rup of Roses, confection of Hamech, Diacatholicon, Benedi­cta, of eyther one scruple, choyse Rewbarbe, Mummy washt and purified, of each two scruples, of Nutmegge three dram­mes, beating to powder those thinges that are to be beaten in powder, and incorporating all with honie of Roses, making thereof a pill or paste, which he would keepe to serue his turne at neede, whereof he would giue his huger Hawkes the quan­titie of halfe a Beane, and to lesser Hawkes, a lesser quanti­tie, in forme of a pill, beeing emptie both in gorge and pannell. And truely, this would worke a mar­uelous effect vpon his sicke Hawkes: and if you vse the same, no doubt you shall find greate pleasure in it.