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 the 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 the 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 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 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
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 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 shal be 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 shal be 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 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 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 the 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 the better the faster And you shall doe well to shifte hir water euery three 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
then be yee sure that she hath the swymming in the head The remedie wherof is this Take a fine needle that is sharpe poynted and when ye haue well het it in the fire pearce hir nares with it through on bothe sides and beware that ye go not awrie for so ye may do hyr great harme Then anoynt it with Oyle and butter togither and it will recouer hyr by meane of the vente that you shall giue the humour by the nares For all maner of diseases in the head and specially for the ache that is in a Hawkes head WHensoeuer your hawke hath any great disease or payne in hyr head take sixe graynes of pepper foure of Stauesaker and fiue cloues beate them togither into sine powder and feede hir but three dayes togither with warme meate mingled with it and she shall recouer And for want of that ye may vse the fine powder that is mēcioned heretofore And if your hawke will not be fedde with it let it be conueyed into cotton or into a a Hennes skin to take away the sent of it feede hir with none other than warme meate and such as is light of disgestion For the diseases of the head do so weaken hyr appetite and stomacke that she cannot put ouer nor indew hir meate And to the ende she may the better indew it giue hir but small meales till she be throughly recouered And if she will eate the yolke of an egge droppe vpon it some of the sayde powder and giue it hir with whote meate and so ye shall recouer hir Here are sundry receytes and medicines whiche I neuer haue proued and therefore I can warrant little of them but neuerthelesse I finde them in my French Authors and therefore am so ventrous to place them here in this collection of remedies for hawkes leauing them ouer to the desirous Falconer that hath a wil to practise vpon his hawke For store they say is no sore among many there must needes fall out some good and wholesome receytes Wherfore iudge discretely of all and make proofe of suche as you lyke Experience is the mother of skill Of the stone and how and wherof it cōmeth YOu must vnderstād that there are .ij. sorts of diseases in hawks called by the name of the stone scarsly dothe the one come without the other The one keepth beneath in their tuels the other in their bowels panels they may be cured bothe togither Some cal this disease the Cray And M. Amé Cassian saieth that the stone or Cray commeth by the eating of filthie flesh by meane of foule feeding For it burneth drieth in theyr bowels as I sayd heretofore in the diseases of the head bicause the filthe which they haue gathered in their panels inflameth their Liuer which doth so drie vp the substance of the guttes that they cānot mute but must needes die of it if they be not cured Some say that this disease cometh of giuing them washt meate whote before it be throughly cold that is like ynough for a hawke likes not of water and bloud both togither at once The stone in the fundement cometh of the filthe whiche the hawke shoulde mute which thickeneth lies bakte at the tuell by meanes wherof she becomes so poore that she cānot mute or slyse from hyr so must needes die Yet notwithstāding I haue often seene that when a Falcon is high and lustie she will slyse it out well ynough by meane of hir strength And ye may perceyue when she hath the stone by that she muteth with peyne by drops which is a signe that she needeth to skowre that matter whereof the stone dothe grow And when she muteth at twice a third time after that it is a token that the stone is throughly confirmed in hyr guttes panel Moreouer when ye see that hir tuell is chased but little droppes from hyr and that the feathers of hir trayne are much filed with hir muting and that she is euermore picking with hyr beake about hir tuell be ye sure she hath the stone in hir tuell which we cal the stone Craye Againe when she muteth and maketh as though she would iouke vpō your fist in hir eyes is more troubled thā of ordinarie doubt not but that she hath the stone cray And bycause she cannot ridde it she is in daunger if she be not lookte too in time The remedie thereof by the iudgement of M. Amé Cassyan is this take a slyce of Larde or a pellet of Sope wet in salet oyle of the bignesse of a goose quill and an inche long and put theron the powder of Aloes cicotrine which done cast your Hawke handsomly and conuey it into hir tuell as ye woulde giue a man a suppositorie and if the Larde be too tender and softe to handle sticke it vpon a Hennes feather so as the feather appeare not through the Larde for so may yee do hir greate harme with the feather and so conuey it vp into hyr tuell drawyng away the feather gently and leauing the Larde behind and haue snayles in a readinesse to giue hir immediatly after ye haue applied the sayde deuise And for lacke of Snayles giue hir the forementioned pyll of Lard mingled with marrow and suger and set hir in the Sunne or by a fire without feeding of hir till one houre after noone And if she indure well to be by the fire or in the Sunne let hir alone for the heate is very good for hir After this giue hir somewhat more than halfe a gorge of a yong pullet or if ye can come by any Myce or Rats nothing is better But let hir not stand in the ayre or in the wynde except the weather be fayre and warme At night when she hath indewed well giue hir foure or fiue cloues of Mace broken and lapped vp in a little cotton or in the skynne of a Henne and do so three or foure dayes sauing the suppositorie or pellet aforesayde for it will serue twice well ynough And thus shall you skoure your hawke throughly Looke well to it that she cast not vp the cloues of Mace for they be singular good for hawkes in all respectes specially for all humors that surcharge their heades and generally for all Filanders and wormes And if you mynd to rid a Falcon cleane of the Cray and of the sayde disease giue hir meate steeped in Goates mylke or in other mylke and do so foure or fiue dayes together for the sayde mylke is verie good against the Cray In the booke of the Prince there is another receyt for this disease of the Cray or stone That is to wit Take the gall of a Pigge of three weekes old and conuey it into your hawkes beake so as she maye take it and swallowe it downe whole without breaking and take heede that she cast vp none of it againe Afterwardes giue hir a little piece of the Pigges fleshe of the bignesse of
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 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 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 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 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
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 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 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 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
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 rufter-hoode 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 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 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 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 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 with your teeth drawing the strings vnhoode hir softly suffring hir to plume and pluck it with 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 that 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 the 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 the strings of hir hoode in a readinesse And when you are gone a little backe frō him take your lewre at halfe the length of the string and cast it about your heade once or twice lewring with your voice also Then let that other vnhoode your hawke whiles you throw out the lewre not far from your hawke lewring crying still vnto hir And if your hawke do stoupe to the lewre seaze the pullet suffer hir to plume hir coying hir lewring stil with 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 the 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 with 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 the grounde and if your hawke stoupe at the pullet suffer hir to breake it and feede hir vpon the 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 without 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 the lewre Thē drawing backe a little as much as you thinke meete gyue a signe to him that holdeeth the 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 the lewr about your hed whervnto for the first time I wold haue a 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 the lewre on horsebacke with a cryance or more or lesse according to the 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 that 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 with great bells at the first vntil hir cōditions be knowen well perceyued That
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 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 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 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
bee able to brooke it And within an houre or two after feede hir with a chickens leg and after let hir haue twice a day at hir houres a reasonable gorge and let the sayde powlder be giuen hir no more but once In stead of this powlder some giue thys medicine following whyche you maye gyue also if you thinke good that is to witte a little Stauesacre howbeit that it is very strong if there be not skill vsed to delay the strength of it Wherefore if you mynde to giue your Hawke of it giue hir not past three or foure graynes of it wrapt in a cloth or in lint whiche you must breake afterwarde and beate into powlder Then take a little cleane water in a dishe and put your powlder in it and mingling it togither in manner of a Sirop put three or foure droppes of it into your Hawkes nares and sette hir in the Sunne or by the fire as is sayd afore if it be colde That done then by Martins aduice take pitche if you will to the mountenance of a beane whyche you must warme betwixt youre handes and afterwarde cleane it to the roofe of hir beake rubbing it ouer with a little of the powlder of Stauesacre and Pepper till shee feele the pitche well vppon hir Palate and by and by in laboring to shake off the sayde pitche and water from hir Palate shee will cast and let hir cast hir fill till shee bee throughly scowred And when yee thinke shee is scowred sufficiently take away the sayd pitche if it bee not falne off already and set your Hawke to the fire or in the Sunne as is sayd in the medicine of the Pepper and feede hir with some good meate one houre after And to recomfort youre Hawke after all these medicines yee maye giue hir foure or fyue Cloues of Mace as is sayde afore after as the bignesse of them is whyche you must firste brooze a little and put into hir casting For the Cloues so giuen are singularly good for Hawkes against all Rheumes and humors of the head so that it maketh them to haue a good breath and keepeth it from stincking by setting theyr whole bodies in a temperate heate And the Cloues being so gyuen euery eight daye is ynough to keepe a Hawke from all rhewmatike diseases of the head and from all other diseases that come of cold Of a confirmed Rewme that commeth of colde NOw that I haue spoken of the disease of the head whyche commeth oftentimes of gyuing too greate a gorge or of fowle feeding I will speake of the Rhewme or pose whyche breedeth of the coldnesse of the brayne and vpper parte of the head The Hawkes that haue this disease indure suche payne as they cannot holde open their eyes And of this disease spring many other griefes as the pinne and the webbe in the eye whereby they lose theyr syght and sometimes they lose their syght withoute hauing the pinne and webbe in theyr eyes Besides that there followeth the hawe in their eyes as in the eyes of a Horse and sometimes also the pip in their tungs and another disease whiche is called the Efforcyllons in the Frenche tong I knowe not what Englishe tearme to bestowe vppon it And moreouer the swelling of the roofe of their pallate whyche is called the Vuila an ill disease whereof breedeth the Cancre All these diseases are very daungerous and put Hawkes in great hazard if there be not skill to remedie them betimes And Master Amé Cassyan sayth that suche diseases breede of flewme whiche is in the bodies of Hawkes as I sayd afore of the other Rhewme and that fleume commeth of setting them in moyst and colde places Also sometyme it commeth of bringing them home colde and wet out of the fieldes and of setting them downe vppon their pearches withoute drying or warming them at the fire or in the Sunne The remedie of those diseases is first and formost to cawterise them in manner following Fashion a little yron with a rounde heade like a peaze whiche is called a button and make it in manner redde whote in the fire but yet not ouerwhote for yron is very violent if it be too much het Cauterise hir therewith on the toppe of hir head bycause the griefe and disease is there grounded Cause your Hawke to be well cast that you maye cawterize hir at youre ease and pleasure for you must beware of burning hir too deepe and therefore that ye may be sure to do it well mayle your Hawke fast and pull off a fewe of hir feathers Assoone as you haue done so take another yron with a poynte as sharpe as the tooth of a combe and put it in the fire as afore sayde and therewith pierce hir nares in the middes Thē two or three days after take another flat yron of a finger broad heate likewise red whote and cauterise your Hawke againe therewith handsomly as it were betweene the eye lid and the horne of the beake and do it with the sharper side of the yron not that the yron ought indeede to haue any edge but rather by all reason to be blunt And take good heede that the fire touch nother the ball of hir eye nor hir nares and therefore see that ye gard hir eye with a wet cloute to keepe it from the smoke All such maner of fires must be giuen towards the euening before Hawkes are supped when they are emptie for otherwise the handling of them would make them cast their gorges When all is done as it should be halfe gorge your Hawke or somewhat lesse with warme meate And the same daye make prouision of suche Snayles as are among vines or among Fenill and suche as haue gray shelles they are the best for men are wont to eate of them Steepe fyue or sixe of them in the milke of an Asse or of a Gote or else for want of that in womans milke and let it be done in a good large glasse well couered that they creepe not out The next morning breake the shelles and wash them in newe milke as it commeth from the Cowe then giue foure or fiue of those Snayles to your Hawke after that they bee of bignesse And assoone as that is done set hir against a fire or the Sunne and remoue hir not away till she haue muted four or fiue times And if she can abide the heate well let hir alone still for it doth hir much good After noone fede hir with a Hennes legge or with some small birds or with a Ratte or a Mouse whiche are best of all and then set hir in a warme place and giue hir not too great a gorge When euening commes that she hath indued put ouer hir meate take fiue or sixe Cloues of Mace broken asunder and wrapped in a peece of flesh or a pellet of cotton and make hir to receyue it by fayre meanes or fowle by opening hir beake and conueying it into hir Continue this medicine foure or fiue dayes