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 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 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 the most part of good pastime in the fielde when other ignorāt gromes shal both lacke sport loose their hawkes the greatest corsie that may happen to a gentleman that loues the game Let these fewe aduertisementes and instructions suffice in this place if other wynts necessarie not recited here be remēbred 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 that meanes shee will alwayes loue
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 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 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 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 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
yet beware of cutting away too muche After this annoynte and moysten wel hir throte with syrope of Mulberies called of the Apothecaries Diamoron and then annoynte hir with Oyle of sweete Almondes or with Oyle Olyue tyll she be recured Of the disease called by the Frenche men Escorchillons a kinde of frownce or Canker SOmetimes there happeneth a disease to hawkes whiche is called the Escorchillons a harde disease to bee discerned It breedeth commonly of a Rhewme confirmed in the heade from whence spring many other diseases whereof I haue made mention in the Chapter of Rhewmes in the heade and of the disease called the Barbillons whiche breedeth in Hawkes tongues as the Pyppe doth the disease of the palate and the Canker which are very daungerous diseases and deadely If yee wyll knowe the Escorchillons let your hawke be caste handsomely and open hir beake and force downe hir tongue with your fingers ende so as you may see hir windepype and a little beneath hir windepype yee shall finde the Escorchillons lyke three or foure sharpe prickes growing one agaynste another that sometymes the Hawke cannot caste by meane thereof And that is a perfect waye to knowe this euyll Furthermore in the same place and on eyther syde of the windepype yee shall finde twoo small stertes of deshe whiche are naturall to all Hawkes But at the lower ende of them doe growe vp manie lyttle prickes whiche are the cause that a Hawke can not well caste in the morning insomuche that sometymes shee is fayne to caste hir casting by peecemele and not whole And that is another assurance of the sayde disease whiche maye bee well cured and remedied bothe togyther The remedie which Amé Cassyan gyueth for this disease is sette foorthe in the former Chapter by Master Mallopin where hee wylleth you to take Oyle of sweete Almondes or Oyle Olyue c. The disease of the Canker which breedeth in the throtes and tungs of Hawkes YE must vnderstande that the Canker breedeth of fowle feeding your Hawkes not washing of their meate in colde water in Sommer and in warme in Winter whiche ingendreth in their guttes grosse slimy matter And when those humors come to be moued they fume vp into the head and so distilling agayne ingender heate of the lyuer which breaketh out in the throte and the tung and there ingender the Canker You shall discerne this disease by the feeding of your Hawke for in taking hir meate she letteth it fall and afterward hath much adoe to swallowe it Therefore let hir beake be anoynted and you shall find the disease of the Canker Master Amé Cassian giueth this medicine for it Take Oyle of Almonds or Oyle Olife washed as is sayd afore and anoynt well hir throte with it twice or thrice a day That done giue hir the sayd medicine of Sugre Lard and marrowe of Beefe three dayes togither and feede hir with Mutton or with Pullets or Hennes flesh dipped in the foresayd Oyle but ye must not washe your Oyle of Almonds After this you must behold and regard the Canker and if you find it white take a small yron made at the one ende lyke a Rasor and at the other end edged and sharp And if hir tung be very much ouergrowen with the Canker slit open it handsomly alongst the side of hir tung and with your Raser scrape away the whitenes softly which you see there Then take a little Cotton or lint to drie and drinke vp the bloud of hir tung and see that none be left And if the other side of hir tung happen to be so too slit it likewise which done take the iuyce of Maydenheare and lay vpon it And for want of that herbe take a little bineger or rather the iuyce of a Lymon which is much better and wash hir meate in Oyle till she be throughly recured Master Michelin giueth another remedie which is this Anoynt wel hir throte and tung with Sirup of Mulberies otherwise called Diamoron two or three dayes togither after whiche take of the foresayd good Oyle Then take the powder of Brimston and of sugre candie or of other white suger mingled well togither of eche a like and put a little thereof vpon the Canker for it you should lay much it would fret the tung too sore And this maner of dealyng is better for a confirmed Canker than any other Therfore wash hyr meate with the oyle aforesayd and feede hyr with mutton or the flesh of Hennes or pullets Of a kinde of Pippe that is in a Hawke THe Pippe cōmeth chiefly of cold and moystnesse of the head and sometimes of feeding your hawke with euill and rotten flesh without washing it and making it cleane in warme water in the winter and in colde water in the Sommer Whereof ingendereth slimy grosse humors in the bodie which ascend vp to the head ingender the pip on the tip of the tung as ye see cōmonly fall out in chickens And ye may perceiue this disease by your hawkes often sniting by making a noyze twice or thryce in hyr snyting M. Amé Cassian sayeth that to remedie this disease you must caste your hawke gently looke vpon the tip of hir tung and if ye finde hir to haue the pippe ye must scoure hir with a pill made of Agarik and Ierapigra giuen two or three dayes togither with hir casting towards night and that will rid hyr of the rhewme in hyr head the rather if she be made to tyre against the sunne in the mornings as is sayd afore M. Malopin in his booke of the Prince sayeth that to cure the Pippe ye must binde a little cotton vpon a stickes ende and dipping it in sweete rosewater washe well hir tung with it and afterwarde annoynt it three or foure dayes with oyle of Almonds and oyle olife well washed as is before sayd and when ye haue done so ye shall finde the Pippe all white and soft Then take an awle and with the poynt of it lift vp the Pippe softly remouyng it as women do Pippe their Chickens Howbeit ye must not remoue it till it be full rype for if yee take it to greene you shall hurte your hawke And looke that you wet hir tung and palat twyce or thryce a day with the foresayd oyle till she be throughly cured Of the disease of their palat which falleth of swelling by reason of moysture of the head SOmetimes it happeneth that the palates or roofes of hawkes mouthes are swollen and looke whytish which commeth of moysture and cold wherwith their heads are surcharged And ye may perceyue this disease by that they cannot close their beakes and by that they looke not so cherely as they were woont to do ne can put ouer or endew their meate but with greate payne To cure your hawke of this disease you muste open hir beake where you shall finde the roofe of hir mouth whytish and swollen And if you find it not so you must searche hir beake
any of all these at your owne discretion and pleasure When a hawke gapeth inordinatly vpon the fiste of hir keeper A Hawke will nowe and then sall to gaping eyther vpon hir keepers fist or vpon the pearche and specially when she is set in the Sunne being somewhat hote And this gaping maye be vnderstoode and construed two wayes The one is wâ—en she doth it of hir owne nature but that is not so ofte as the other which commeth by mischance and that eyther of colde that she hath taken or of some moyst humor that destilleth downe into hir gorge Some are of opinion that the hawke which vseth it often is diseased with the Filanders which creepe vp and downe in hir gorge before she be fed or after she hath indewed as I haue declared in the chapter of Filanders of the gorge The remedie by Mayster Amé Cassians aduyce is to take the pouder of Wormeseede and of Wormewoode of eache alyke and one quarter lesse of Aloes Cicotrine and of these three pouders mingled together to gyue your hawke the mountenance of a Beane in hir casting lapped vp in a Hennes skyn or in any such like deuice Of Apostumes that breede in Hawkes WHen a hawke hath any Apostume in hir bodye ye shall knowe it by the stuffing of hir nares and by hir inordinate panting whiche accident commeth sometymes by rushing rashely into bushes or by bating too muche vppon the pearche and moreouer by ouer free encounter with hir praye Nowe when she is so brused and chafed and taketh colde vpon it Apostumes breede thereby bycause the mischiefe is not knowne and looked vnto afore hande Mallopin in his booke of the Prince gyueth this remedie Take the white of an egge well beaten and the iuyce of Colewortes well broosed as much of the one as of the other and giue it your Hawke in the morning in the small gut of a henne and set hir by a fire or in the Sunne and at noone feed hir with mutton or with a Pullet The next day take Rosemarie dryed and beaten into fine powder and bestowe it vpon hir meate reasonably For other three dayes giue hir Suger and three dayes next after that plie hir againe with hir sayde powder letting hir stande warme day and night and feeding hir with good meate and the likelyhoode is great she shall be recouered Of a Hawke that hath hir Liuer inflamed THe inflamation of the Liuer happeneth sometymes through the negligence of such as haue the keeping of Hawkes For they feede them with grosse and naughtie fleshe such as is stale and stinking without making of it cleane by meanes whereof proceedeth the sayde inflamation of the Liuer Also it happeneth for want of bathing when neede is and for lacke of water which they ought to haue or with ouerfleeing of them when they bee emptie panneld Ye shall perceyue this disease by theyr feete for they will be chafed and the colour of their chappes will be chaunged and looke whitishe through the heate of their Liuer And if yee finde hir tongue scorched and scalded blacke it is a signe of death To remedie this mischiefe make the medicine of Snayles steeped in Asses milk or Gotes milke mentioned in the Chapters of the diseases of the heade and of the stone and giue your Hawkes of it three or foure days in the mornings And if ye cannot get that medicine ye may vse the other that is made of Lard Marrow of beef and of boyled Suger with a little Saffron foure or fiue dayes togither euery morning as is sayde before For the scouring of hir will ridde and abate hir heate And all that while for seuen or eight dayes feede hir with poultrie or with mutton steeped in milke for milke is verie good for the heate of the Liuer And you must beware you feede hir not with Pigeon nor with other grosse fleshe for breeding hir to inordinate heate Master Amé Cassian sayth yet further that to allay the sayd heate in Hawkes it is very good to steepe or wet theyr meate in Endiue or Nightshade water and likewise in white whey newly and lately made And that this maner of feeding must be continued foure or fiue dayes till the Hawke be well scoured And that if the hawke haue a desire to bowze the sayde whey ye must let hir take hir fill Master Amé Cassian sayeth moreouer that when your medicine hath scoured your hawke after the maner and hir tongue is not aught in the better tune ye must take oyle Olife washt in two or three waters and bath hir tung throte therwith with a feather three or foure times in the day for foure or fiue dayes togither and gently scrape hir tung and throte with a deuise of siluer or of other mettal for that purpose And although shee neither can feede nor will yet shee must not be giuen ouer but haue meat gently conueyed into hir gorge by small morsels and thrust downe lowe ynough with a fine sticke that she may take it for she cannot swallowe hir meate by reason of the swelling of hir tung and therefore she must bee assisted in maner aforesayde Master Michelin sayth furthermore that to comfort and strengthen the Liuer withall ye must steepe Rubarb in a dishfull of colde water all night and the next morning washe hir meate therewith continuing so by the space of foure or fiue dayes togither Martin giueth yet one other medicine which is this Take a Pullets gut thrice the length of your little finger cutting it in three peeces which you must tye fast at eyther end fill them with Oyle of Almonds or oyle Olife and thrust them into hir throte so as she swallow them one after another and within an houre after gorge hir reasonably with a yong Pullet And the next morning take the seedes of Rushes and the scrapings of Iuorie and the dung of Sparrowes of eche two pennie weight and make therof a powder and season your Hawkes meat therwith and it will pleasure hir And these two medicines are to be vsed when a hawke is not very fowle within for if she be then are the other former medicines better Of the Canker which breedeth of ouer great heate in the Liuer IF a Canker happen in the throte or tongue of a Hawke by meanes of the heate of the Liuer Make hir the foresayde medicine of Snayles or that of Larde as it is deuysed before gyuing hir hir meate sowst in Mylke or Oyle of sweete Almondes or Oyle Olife and let the Canker bee washt twice or thrice a day tyll it wexe whyte and rype Then wyth your Instrument scrape it cleane awaye that nothing of it remayne And if there happen to bee any deade fleshe in it put powder of Alome or the iuyce of Lymons in it and plye it still with the sayde Milke or Oyles till she bee throughly recured And to make newe flesh grow vp againe put to it a little honie of Roses Of the Pantas of the
it is of all other kynds of Eagles the true right Eagle he doth cal him by the greeke word Chrisaitos by reason of his goldē mayle in Latin he is termed Stellaris and Herodus This is that Eagle whome we call the Egle royall king of byrdes and sometimes the byrde of Iupiter and that Egle which ought to be taken and accompted the principall best being more huge and large than the rest and besides more rare and daintie to be seene For shee doth haunt moste commonlye the toppes of highe and craggie mountaines and doth there praye vpon all sortes of foules as also Hares Kyddes Gotes and such other like wilde and sauage beastes of the field This Eagle dothe liue alwayes solitarie and alone vnlesse happily she haue hir broode with hir whome she doth conducte and guyde from place to place the better to instruct them howe to kyll their praye and feede them selues But no soner hath she made thē perfit and throughly scooled them therin but presently she chaseth them out of that coaste and doth abandon them the place where they were eyred and will in no wise brooke them to abide neare hir to the ende that the countrey where she discloseth and maketh her Eyrie bee not vnfurnished of conuenient pray which by the number and excessiue store of Eagles might otherwise be spoyled and made bare For it is verie likely that if hir broode and increase should there make stay beeing so huge byrdes and of so great rauyne there woulde in short space lacke praye for hir selfe and by meane thereof breede hir to a farther euill and mischiefe for the auoyding of whiche this prouident and carefull foule doth presently force hir broode to depart into some other part and region This Egle maye with ease be discerned from the Vulture bycause this Eagle Royall being browne or yellowe maylde hath not hir armes or feete in any cōdition couered with plume as the Vulture hath True it is that the arme of the Eagle is short yellow mayld all beset with scales the pounces large her beake blacke long and crooked at the toppe The trayne of the Egle Royall as also the trayne of the slender blacke Egle is short and stiffe at the poynt euen as the traine of the Vulture is The Egle is alwayes of one self hugenesse in respect of hir nature and it can not be said in that she is an Eagle that she is either larger or lesser at any one time or other vnlesse you will giue hir the surname and addition of blacke yellowe or some other such proper name and terme which doth alter hir according to hir accydentes but nothing at all in regarde of hir substance and nature And were it not that she is so massy a foule and not portable on the fiste as in troth she is exceeding huge and besides it is so harde and difficulte a matter to prouide hir pray and foode Princes and puissant states would more vsually haue hir and hawke with hir for their solace and pleasure than they nowe doe But by reason she is so huge and ventrous she might happily offer force and violence to the eyes and face of hir keper if at any time she should conceiue displeasure against him And for this cause in chiefe the Egle is not in vse as other meaner hawkes and of lesse force be in these dayes He that will haue the Egle to be good and tractable muste deuise to take her an Eyesse in the Eyrie mannyng and accustoming hir among houndes and greyhoundes to the end that when he goeth and addresseth him to the fielde the Egle soaring aloft ouer the houndes starting the game Foxe Hare Gote or such like beastes of the wood shee making hir downecōme and stouping from hir wings may so stay and seaze vpon the game vntill the dogges come in and procure the fall thereof A man may feede hir with any kynde of flesh and chiefly of such game and praye as she slayeth in the fielde by flight Tawnye or browne mayle in an Eagle deepe and hollow eyes specially if she be bred in the weast partes of the worlde is an assured signe of hir goodnesse for the tawnye Egle is euer founde good in proofe Also the whitnesse on the head of an Eagle or on hir backe is a singular token of an excellent Eagle That Eagle that when she fleeth from the fiste of hir keeper will either flee vpon the man soaring round about him or light on the grounde and take the stand is by al probabilitie and coniecture no inwarde Eagle but a fugitiue and a rangler At what time the Egle displayes hir trayne in hir flight and makes a turne in hir mountie it is a verie great signe that shee determineth to flye on head and gadde the nexte remedie for which mischiefe is to throwe hir out hir meate and lure hir with as loude a voyce as you possible may And if it be so that she then stoupe not to that which is caste out vnto hir then eyther hath she ouer gorged hir selfe or otherwise she is to hye and too full of fleshe A meane to auoyde this inconuenience is to sowe the feathers of hir trayne together to the end she may not spread them abroade nor vse the benefite of hir trayne feathers in hir flight Or else another way is to deplume and make bare hir tuell and fundament so as it may appeare and then certainely for feare of the colde ayre she will not aduenture to mounte so hie but feeling hir trayne feathers fast sowed together she will stande in awe of other Eagles whome by the meane of that deuice and practise she shall in no wise be able to auoyde When the Eagle maketh a short turne vpon hir keeper in hir flight and flyeth not out aforehead that is one principal good token that she will not away It hath beene sayde that an Eagle is of force to arest and cause a woulfe to stay and will take him with the ayde and assistance of dogges making into hir rescue and that it hath bene seene and experimented But for my part I finde the oddes of them so great as I leaue the beliefe of it to the reader not recyting it as a troth but a thing written to shewe the great hardinesse and vndaunted nature of the Eagle It is reported that the men of the countrey where the Eagle eyreth knowing thereof and intending to bereaue hir young broode doe arme and well furnish their heades for feare least the Eagle doe offer them force and violence And if so they shewe the old breeder one of hir chickens or tye it to the bough of a tree neare the place where she buildeth she will call and cause the damme to repayre thether by continuall cleping who findeth hir and pitying hir cryes will bring it so much prouision and praye as he that commeth to take hir from the eyrie shall there dayly be sped of as muche fleshe and prouision as will
verie reasonably serue him and sixe others For the olde Eagle will conuey thyther Hares Conies foules and such other like vittell and viandes for the supplye of hir necessitie The Eagle doth not commonly vse to praye neare vnto his eyrie but to kyll hir prouision abroade as farre off as she maye And if so it happen she leaue any fleshe after she is full gorged that doth she reserue carefully for the nexte day to the ende that if foule weather should happily growe to hinder hir flight yet she might be stored of sufficient praye for the daye following without any further trauell An Eagle doth not forsake or chaunge hir Eyrie all hir life time but of custome doth yearely returne and make repayre to one self place and there buildeth most assuredly by meane where of it hath ben noted and obserued in time past that an Egle doth lyue verie many yeares Before hir olde age hir beake waxeth so exceeding long and croked at the toppe as she is much hindered thereby of hir feeding in sort as she dyeth not of disease or by extremetie of age but only by reason she can not possible vse the benefite of hir beake being accrewde and growne to such an exceeding length and disproportion Whereof commeth the prouerbe as I take it Aquilae senectus the age of an Eagle which is properly applyed to men that do lyue only by drinke as olde men are wont to do The Eagle doth euer wage warre with the little Roytelet whome the Frenche men doe so terme for that this foule is thought to be a little king among byrdes as the Etimologie of the worde doth seeme to importe the Latines likewise they call him Regulus and the Germans a Goldhenlyne The occasion and chiefe grounde of this controuersie betwixte the Eagle and the Goldhenlyne is by the report of Aristotle onely vpon the name for that she is called the king of birdes of which title and preheminence the Eagle would willingly bereaue hir Againe there is one other kind of litle foule whom Aristotle calleth a Sitta the Latines Reptitatrix or Scandulaca and the Frenchmen Grimpereau that doth the Egle verie great outrage offence For no soner perceiueth she the Eagle to be absent from the eyrie but presently in great dispite she breaketh all hir egges in pieces This little foule is called In French. Roytelet These two being in a maner the lest birds of all other are the gretest and deadliest enimies to the Egle and do cōtend with hir vpon poyntes of principalitie rule In Latine Regulus In the German tong Goldhenlyne That other In Greeke Sitta In Latine Scandulaca In French. Grimpereau When I sayde before that the Eagle royall was of a yellow mayle I meant nothing else by that speach but that the Eagle was maylde of the verie coloure of a Deares haire which is in deede not yellowe but browne or tawnie And albeit Aristotle for his pleasure termed it by the Greeke worde Chrisaitos which is as much in effect as to say the golden Egle yet must it not therefore bee concluded that this Eagle is of a right golden mayle but of a more browne or tawnie mayle than the other kinde of Eagle is The Paynters and Statuaries of Rome haue disguised this Egle in their portraytours for euery man knoweth that it is farre otherwise than they haue drawne it As well the browne Eagles as the blacke are skynned and vncased as the Vultures be and their skynnes sent to the furryers and pellytours of Fraunce with their winges heades and talons and euen of the same verie coloure as I haue here set it downe and declared it vnto you Of the blacke Eagle I Haue signified vnto you that there are only two sortes of Eagles which serue for Falconrie which are the yellow or tawnie Eagle whome I haue hitherto treated of and the blacke Eagle whome I must now decypher vnto you Aristotle doth terme the blacke Eagle Melauratus and Lagophanos bycause she taketh the Hare and this Eagle the Latines call Pulla Fuluia Leporaria and Valeria the oddes and difference betwixte these two Eagles is easie to be founde for this blacke Eagle is lesse than the Eagle royall which is the yellow and tawnie Eagle and the blacke Eagle doth as muche differ from the yellowe Eagle as the blacke Mylion doth from the Mylion Royall Plinie hath placed this blacke Eagle in the firste order and rancke of Eagles as one that would willingly prefer hir before all other kyndes of Eagles And here Aristotle hath set hir but in the thirde order and place The blacke Eagle sayth he being lesse huge and corpulent than the other is of farre more force and excellencie Moreouer he affirmeth that the Eagles doe towre vppe and mount so hye of purpose for prospect and to see from farre And by reason that their sight is so cleare and perfect men haue reported them of all others to be the only byrdes that doe participate with the diuine nature Moreouer for the feare the Eagle hath of hir excellent eyes she maketh not hir stowping from hir gate at once and rashly as other kynd of long winged hawkes do but by litle and litle The Hare is a praye in whome she taketh great pleasure yet when she findeth the Hare running she offereth not forth with to seaze on him vpon the mountaine but can forbeare and staye hir time vntil he be on the playne champion and then seazing on him she presently caryeth him not away but doth first make trial and experience of him poysing and weying him in hir pounces and after that lifting vp the sillie beast doth beare him cleane away and prayeth on him at hir best will and pleasure Nowe as touching the Vultures and first of the large ashe coloured or blacke Vulture 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
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 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 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 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 before the fire vntill she bee very well dried and if you bee well assured that she is throughly enseamed cleane and hathe bin
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 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 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 the places wher she was seeled to the ende she may see the better when thou 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 that alwayes after she haue bathed you giue hir some lyue birde to feede on and alwayes when you call hir 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
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 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 cōsumeth 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 that 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 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 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 candle-light vntill she rowze and mewte and then set hir on the 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 the 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 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 coūterfayte 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 the second time let not slyppe your cryance at the firste but rather pull it from hir 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 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 the 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 you make them highe fleeing and by that meanes they wyll euery daye get gate higher higher so that 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
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 the administration of these sayd receytes hauing alwayes a regard vnto the weake and delicate nature of Hawkes in respect of men and therefore the 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 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 the Hawkes mouth there are wont to growe 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 becōmeth 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 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 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 take Verdegrece Roch Alome of eyther two ownces Honie of Roses 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 the 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
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 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 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 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
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
gorge of some liue birde or fowle And the said medicine must be giuen in the morning after that the Hawke hath cast Of common pilles that are giuen to Hawkes for laxatiue medicines or downewarde scowrings NEuerthelesse in stead of the sayd Aloes ye may at youre discretion vse common pilles suche as Potecaries giue men to make them loosebodyed And many are of opiniō that they be much better thā that other of Aloes for the pilles driue downeward and scowre more strongly and with greater effect Yet notwithstanding ye may vse eyther of those two making thē at your pleasure Of the said pilles you shall giue your Hawke one or two after as the quantitie of them is and when she hath taken them set hir by a fire or in the Sunne and feede hir not for the space of two houres after at whyche time ye shall giue hir some quicke and liue thing to feede vppon For the taking of the pilles will set all hir body out of temper and tune And so ye shall keepe your Hawkes in good plight state and health Another vvay to scovvre by medicine TAke Aloes Cicotrine and graines of Filander otherwise called Stauesaker and Cassia Fistula as much of the one as of the other to the mountenance of a beane togither whē ye haue beaten it into powder put it into a Hennes gut of an inch long tied fast at both ends then conuey it into hir in the morning so as she may put it ouer and that must be after shee hath cast if she had any casting at al. Then set your Hauke by the fire or in the Sunne and feede hir with a quicke chicken or some other liue warme meate two houres after as is said afore and so your Hawkes shall be kepte in good plight state And it is to be noted that you must not giue so muche to a Goshawke for they be not of so strong and churlish nature and mettell as other Hawkes are much lesse to a Sparowhawke bycause she is not able to brooke so strong a medicine as the Goshawke is And therefore you must beare in mynde that your giuing of the said things to your Hawkes must bee according to their natures and strengths by the good discretion of suche as through their noble disposition doe place their care pleasure and minds vpon such things To make a Hawke cast when she keepeth it too long FOrasmuch as Hawkes do sometimes keepe their casting too long and cannot put it vp or else it may now and then fall out that a man knoweth not whether they haue any casting or no in such cases you must giue your Hawke a little Aloes and then she will cast it togither with the slime and filth that hindred the casting of it And for want of Aloes giue hir the mountenance of a beane of the roote of Celendine in two or three pellets and it will ease hir out of hād And to further the matter it shall not be amisse to giue hir one spoonefull of water wherin the Celendine rootes haue bin stieped some space for the bitternesse thereof will force hir to cast Of the bathing of Havvkes IF you mind to keepe your Hawkes in tune and state to flee well you must make them bath oftentimes and you muste set water by thē though they list not to bathe For somtimes a Hawke is desirous to bowze and take of the water by reason of some chaunce or for some heate of hir body or of hir liuer and then is water good and auaylable to set hir agayne in good plight and health whiche thing you shall lightly perciue by that that the Hawke will make countenaunce of more cheare and reioyce more When your Hawke is bathed whether it bee Goshawke or Falcon lette hir be throughly well wetherd at the fire of in the Sunne And if shee happen to bee washed or sowst with raine or otherwise let hir be throughly weatherd as is said afore least she surfet by cold specially whē she commes from the field and from hir fleeing For then is she cōmonly marrde for lacke of good order and looking too in somuch that therevpon insew the Pantas and other diseases And therefore when the Falconer perceyueth the tyme to be daungerous for his Hawke to take such maner of colde as in winter time after hir flight or by taking wet in flying he must first weather hir well at the fire or in the Sunne and then giue hir fiue cloues of Maces in hir casting and that wil heate hir againe To keepe Hawkes from inconueniences which they take of themselues or which happen to them vnwares FVrthermore to preserue Hawkes from mischiefes whyche they take lightly by cold or otherwise when ye haue bathed and wetherd them beware of setting them in cold and moyst places but choose some warme and drie place and with some clothe roll the pearch or billet that they stand on For diuers times when Hawkes haue beaten and broosed them selues at the encounter with great toyle in the field or at the riuer they be so tyred and take cold so lightly and do so chafe their feete that if ye should set them downe in that plight vpon a stande of stone or wood their legges and feete would swell by reason of the humors that would fall down and distill from the higher parts and by that meane breede gowtes as happeneth in mē by like disorder For suche diseases light not to men nor yet to Hawkes but for want of good heede and looking too whē they haue distempered themselues by anye immoderate exercise When such diseases light vpon poore Birdes they be hard to be cured vnlesse a man haue very good skill to order them and to prouide remedie for them How men should make their Hawkes to tire euery day I Say further that the good Falconers and suche as haue a care to vse theyr Hawkes well and to keepe them in health must make them to tire towardes the euenings before they let them iouke When your Hawke hath put ouer and indued afterward in giuing hir casting you may well at youre discretion gyue hir if you list a little Aloes Cicotrine in hir casting or else some commō pill and that doth greatly scowre the head and doe hir much good And that must be done eyther once a weeke or twice in three weekes and the sayd medicine is giuē diuers times by such as like not to giue their Hawkes tiring Neuerthelesse I say that tiring in the morning after the Hawke hath cast is very good And if the tyring be of plumage keepe hir from eating of feathers as well as you may for feare least she take casting before the euening for towards night it is no daunger for then of common course shee is to haue casting Let hir tire against the Sunne snyting and sewing hir beake a little at your discretion after as you find your Hawke lowe and poore vntill you intend to go to your pastime I haue knowen many
Falconers that neuer make their Hawkes to tire saying that it is but a custome and needelesse but I say the contrary For inasmuche as the Hawke is exercised by reasonable tyring shee becommeth the helthyer and the lighter both of body and of head by all moderate exercises yea and she is the better in state also as you may perceyue And I beleeue that the opinion of such as saye so proceedeth of nothing but of slouth and of small loue whych they haue to their Hawkes Therfore forget not to make your Hawke to tyre against the Sunne in the morning for it riddeth them the better of the watry humors that descend out of their heads if either before the doing of it or after you set them vpon a pearch against the Sunne that they may tricke and enoyle themselues at their pleasure This done ye may sette them in their accustomed places And bicause some Falconers are so slouthfull as is sayd afore that they will not make their Hawkes to tire and othersome haue not leysure always to do it in stead of tyring I will giue them a remedie that followeth to ease them of their watery humors which they haue in their heads for want of tiring Take Agarike beaten into powder and Ierapigra with a little Saffron and make a pill of it as bigge as a beane and put a third part lesse of Ierapigra than of Agaricke to binde your pouder togither Let that pill so made be put into hir wrapped in Cotton towards euening when she hath indued hir gorge and is emptie making hir to receyue it three or foure dayes togither And you may vse this medicine from mooneth to mooneth at youre discresion And by the opinion of all Falconers ye may giue this pill for all vnknowen and hidden diseases for which you know none other remedie Another receyt to keepe and mayntaine youre Hawkes in good healthe IF you intend to keepe and maintayne your Falcons and all other Hawkes in health take Germander Pelamountayne Basill Grimelsede and Broome flowres of each of them halfe an ownce of I sop of Saxifrage of Polepodie and of Horsemintes of eache of them a quarter of an ownce of Nutmegges a quarter of an ownce of Cucubes Borage Mūmy Mogewort Sage of the four kinds of Miraholans Indorum Kebulorum Beliricorum and Embelicorum of eache of them halfe an ownce of Saffron an ownce and of Aloes Cicotrine the fifth part of an ownce All these things confect to a powder and at euery eygth day or at euery twelfth day giue your Hawkes the quantitie of a beane of it with their meate And if they will not take it so put it in a Hennes gutte tied at both ends or else after some other meanes so as ye cause them to receiue it downe And if they cast vp the fleshe againe by force of the powder let it no more be giuen them with fleshe but in the foresayd maner of the gutte and lette them stand emptie one houre after And according as you see your Hawke disposed make hir to vse this medicine to skowre hir of the euill humors that are in hir body bred of feeding vpon naughty flesh which ingendreth suche humors and causeth many diseases in Hawkes That the diseases whiche Hawkes haue in their heads do commonly come of giuing them too great gorges and of foule feeding the meane of knowe it THe chiefe Falconers saye and agree that the diseases in Hawkes heads do most commonly breede of giuing them too great gorges especially of grosse and ill flesh For when a Hawke hath too full a gorge she cannot well put it ouer and indue it wherevpon it falleth to corrupting and stincking in hir gorge by lying too long there and speciallye more in a Hawke that is lowe and poore than in one that is high and full of flesh insomuch that she is forced to cast it all stincking And if she happen to put it ouer so stincking it atteynteth and rotteth hir panell by meanes whereof the fume and stinch ascend vp to hir head and there close and stuffe vp hir eares and the passages of hir pipes and head so as the humors whiche were wonte cannot passe away as they were accustomed by reason whereof the head swelleth inordinately For the humor seeketh issue and vent eyther at the eares or at the nares or at the throte for wante whereof the Hawke falles in daunger of death if shee haue not speedy remedie And to discerne this disease of the head the Hawke will sniffe often and shet hir eyes towards night and sometimes shet eft the one and eft the other eye and make as though she iowked with woorse cheere than shee was wont to doe and then must you beware that shee swell not betweene the eye and the beake And if she do then cauterize hir in that maner that is set downe hereafter Whensoeuer the humor makes a shew to sew out at the Hawkes eares at hir nares or at hir throte then is shee in perill of deathe if shee bee not holpen presently The remedie of the sayde disease YOu muste take the larde of Bakon that is not restie nor ouer olde and of the fattest of it make slyces as it were to larde Partridges and suche small birds and let them steepe in freshe colde water a whole night chaunging the water three or foure tymes Then take the marowe of beefe well picked and suger once boyled and clarified and of those three things being eche of like quātitie with the quantitie of a lyttle beane of Saffron in powder well mingled togither make pilles of the bignesse of a beane and giue them to your hawke causing some body to caste hir and opening hir beake by force if shee will not take them otherwise This done set hir by the fyre or in the Sunne and anone ye shall see howe she will skowre and slyse by casting vpwarde and downwarde the grosse humors wherwith hir bodie is ouercharged And when she hath muted well three or foure tymes let hir be taken from the fire or out of the Sunne and set vpon hir pearche in hir accustomed place and let hir not be fedde till twoo howers after and then allowe hir of a chicken or mutton but halfe a gorge Let hir be thus dealt withall three dayes togither making hir to tyre euery day agaynst the sunne both morning and euening And foure fiue or sixe days after giue hir euery day a cloue of Mace in hir casting and she shall recouer When the three dayes are paste wherin you haue so scowred hir take a little pepper beaten into very fine powlder and mingling it with vineger in a sawcer open hir beake and rubbe the roofe of hir chappe therewith and likewise put a droppe or twayne of it into hir nares and set hir by the fire or in the Sunne and you shall see how mightily it will open hir head Howbeit you must not giue this medicine to a Hawke that is very poore for she will not