vnwealdy pray who not withstanding will afterwards learne to know their own error by being brusht betē by those shrewd apponents will desist and leaue off to meddle with them any more Allso the Haggard doth pray vpon greene foule where shee espieth her aduantage the greene plouer the bastard plouer and of diuers other fowles that might be named but most of all on housedoues for they are most rife and common to be found and not of anything but what shee laboureth and takes great paines to get at all times and yet-speeds not at all times of her purpose but working her selfe vp into the aire passeth aloft vntill shee espieth somthing that she likes and then shee stoopes some daies osten and misses of her pray and then rests her selfe till breath and courage be regained and then to her taske againe Thus doth she rest no daie but toile continually vnles the extremity of foule and tempestuous weather doe let and hinder her The practise of the wilde Faulcon Rest old and staid hawks after toiling but to the yong hawke till she bee staid and blooded giue no rest or very little if it be possible when no other foules are able to stirre abroade to seeke their foode This proues what hurt we doe vnto our yong hawkes being full of mettall sound and couragious when as for two or three daies flying wee doe commonly determine of two or three daies resting this wee learne not from the wilde hawke whose course and order with reason and as neere as wee may wee ought to imitate and follow Shee when shee hath laboured three or foure daies togeather in boisterous and bitter weather is not the next day one iot the worse but rather the better for by the dayly vse of her bodie and exercise of her wings she is preserued kept in perfect health Sickly or crasie Hawkes must haue rest in reasō The losse of breath Glut imperfection in the stomack she gathers noe glut to decay her stomacke nor wants no breath to maintaine her courage which bee two principall things wee ought to care for the one if we rest we cannot preuent and for the other no remedy but to feede with hot meate and very cleane to washe hard to giue stones a few and often and all will hardly serue for when we purpose to rest one day or two we are forced many times contrary to our expectation to rest one weeke or two so that whosoeuer hee bee that can flie his hawke euery daie shall haue euery day a good a perfect hawke And contrary wise he that couets to flie vpon rest shall seldome haue a perfect or staid hawke beside other dangers that may grow to the great impairing of her health A necessary obseruation Further if the Faulconer be not quick of apprehension and dilligent much harme may ensue hee must therefore be alwaies present with her to obserue the manner of her flights the greatnesse of her suppers how she hasteth her meate out of her gorge how and what she casteth in the morning whether she muteth seldome and sliceth or often and dropping Good Bad. which signifies som danger is like to ensue as by catching heate after her drawing while she is in her greace or by some tedious flight flown before she be throwly cleane by receiuing a great gorge after the same also these occasions of extraordinary and vntimely heate may breede the Cray and ingender the fillanders which although they proceede of the cold dulnes of the stomacke not kindly disgesting what it receiueth yet may this vntimely heat forenamed the stomacke beeing oruer charged so choake and kill the appetite that sodenly euen of one gorge this infirmity may grow The fillanders How to attaine vnto the perfect knowledge of the conning skil full art of Faulconry He that will be a Faulconer must bee no sluggard he must be vp early and downe late or else hee shall neuer see how his hawke reioiceth neither must he bee tempted or drawne away with other mutabilities or wandring affection but remaine and continue constant in the art he professeth I haue already spoken of her chiefest phisicke as she is wilde which is the labour of her body and the exercise of her wings Now will I shew you what shee actually addeth to the former for the preseruation continuance of her health When she hath slaine and seised on her pray if it be a doue so soone as she hath broken the necke then presently she goes vnto that place which we abhor our hawkes should so much as touch which is the croppe and thereof she taketh her pleasure and of that which is within it as especially of the Mustard seede or Carlock which soeuer it be and of this she will not faile to to cast great store in her casting euery morning vnder her stand And surely I thinke shee takes great delight to eate it and vseth it as phisicke for her health When she hath well fed and filled her gorge and body full of meate she leaueth that place and flieth vnto some solitary and secret place where she sitteth all the day in the aire and hath the water and what she liketh to benefit her selfe withall When night drawes neere away she flies vnto the place where secrely within her selfe she hath purposed and appointed beefore to rest all night And thus omitting to speake any more of her in the kinde of her wildenesse I will now according to the order and method vsed by my selfe in mine owne practise shewe how to reclaime and make her subiect to the man CHAP. III. Heere followeth the manner of reclaiming your Haggard with the meanes how to enter her to the lure WHen you doe take one of these Hawkes or shall haue one of them newly taken brought to your handes most commonly heere in England their bodies will be full of meate then is it best after her taking assoone as you may to set her downe and let her sit where she may rest quietly for the first night either seeled or in a rufter hood so shall you preuent many dangers that might otherwise ensue as the frounce or surfeting on heate Likewise if shee be taken when she is empty it is your best course to vse her as before for they are vpon such occasion subiect to anger and fretting and therof may the like imperfections grow the next day easily take her vpon your fist gently and cease not to carry her the whole day continually vsing a feather in steede of your hand to touch and stroake her withall and when you finde her gentle and willing to be toucht without starting A feather is more gentle then your hand she wil endure it better Vuhood her first in the morning then may you alone by your selfe pull off her hood and quicly and gently put it one againe holding this course vntill she begin to feede then you must proffer her meate often suffering her
or an vnsound Hawke whether shee be foule or cleane Therefore seeing it hath beene is and euer wil be giuen vnto Hawkes for casting It is meet that you consider and take notice how and when it is fittest and best to be giuen First of all you must be sure that it be perfectly and well washed and so kept for there is no such thing nor any other thing that passeth into the body of the hawke but the stomacke worketh and striueth by nature to digest it as doe euidently appeare by the hard bones shee eateth from whence it sucketh all the marrow and other moisture so doth it in like manner from the woollen whatsoeuer is possible to be withdrawne which is vnnaturall and therefore must needs be vnwholesome wherefore to giue it when your Hawke is inseaming and foule in her grease and that also broken in her it is more tollerable for then her stomacke is not so apt or inclined to sauor or tast it being then coied and pestered with grosse humors as it will be after when it is freed and cleansed from them Also then it often times through the annoyance of the hot greasie sauor doth prouoke your hawke to cast in the morning before her houre or that shee hath perfectly endured her supper which will appeare and plainely shew in the tawnie colour of her casting vnwrapped and the like colour and muddinesse of the water within it therefore if there be no remedy but we must vse it let it be as it is before appointed and when you giue the easiest and lightest suppers and some plummage with it but otherwise neuer vpon a great gorge no not vnto the soundest hawke that is also in a morning when your hawke makes a loose and vnwrapped casting of plummage it is good to giue a little knot with stones to bring away loose or stragling feathers out of the pannell or els at some other time with stones in the morning and view the colour of it whereby you may iudge the state of your hawkes bodie for by it you shall gather and perceiue whether shee be hot and drie or moist and in good temper or greasie or cleane If shee be hot and drie the casting will be euen as it were scorched blacke yet neuerthelesse it may be wrapped and the water in it reasonable cleere which if you find let her haue no more casting of that kind but in stead thereof giue her plummage and shee will doe well so long as the water is so good for it is nothing but her dislike of the vnkindnesse of the cotton But there is more danger to be doubted when as the casting appeareth as I said before blackish and tawny and no water but a roaping froth in it which sheweth and signifieth more heat and drought then in the other yet if it be wrapped you need feare the lesse and commonly this is found in such Hawkes as are not made thorough clean at the first before they be flowne but are hot often in that estate neuerthelesse if shee be well ordered and carefully attended after those imperfections will easily be wrought out of her which to effect take this course Giue her one weeks rest and feed her with good meat and easie gorges of the same also giue her some very faire and cleane water with it and cease for that week to giue her any casting at all but euery night after shee hath put away her supper giue her halfe a dozen small stones with the stumpe of a wing then at the weeks end because you cannot proue her estate so well by the colour of the casting of plummage giue her a little supper and after that is put away wash her a flannell casting very well and giue it her Then if you doe find in the morning that it is perfect then you haue your desire if not vse the same course againe vntil you haue accomplisht your purpose giuing her rest and vsing her as hath beene shewed before and with this order rightly obserued you shall not faile in a short time to recouer your Hawkes health whereas otherwise death ensueth as may plainely appeare to euery Faulconer of vnderstanding if they doe but call to minde what discommodities haue followed their rash hasty desires for when they see their hawks begin to shrinke and droope on such occasions will not be contented nor cannot bridle their affections staying till they haue restored and wrought their health by degrees which time and diligence would easily accomplish but most vndiscreetly will thinke by extraordinary courses to recouer them on the suddaine and so whereas they should suddenly cure them they quickly kill them But let euery one that of his owne experience knowes not a better remedy vse the forementioned order by which they shall not faile to obtaine their purpose their Hawkes health and their own credit which being attained and that you perceiue your hawke to be changed to your liking There bee many sound Hawkes wil neuer brooke a woollen casting leaue of to giue her any more vnnaturall casting at all but as I haue shewed sometimes for triall and giue her onely casting of plummage so shall you be sure if shee haue no other deadly infirmity to preserue and keepe her safe and in continuall case to doe her businesse according to your desire Now then to returne to speake of stones againe and first as concerning the giuing of them by night my reason why they should bee giuen more by night then by day are these your Haggqads your coy right Ramage Hawkes by kinde It is not good to giue your Hawk stones at that time when yow know she wil be vnquiet will not in that short time spoken of before be so well reclaimed but that they will haue pride and a stirring humor in them still and especially in the morning after their night rest Therefore for this one cause of their vnquietnesse to which they are much addicted in the morning and also for the time of their inseaming reclaiming the night is best for then your Hawke is addicted quietlie to take her rest without bating stirring or straining of her bodie being charged with stones But some will say the night is too long and that they doe ouer heat her but by due obseruation I haue found it is not soe whensoeuer she hath neede and desireth or deserueth to haue them for certaine it is I haue seene a Hawke in the time of her flying that hath taken a dozen or more of stones her selfe in a morning and hath kept halfe of them till the next morning Also I haue knowne the same Hawke when they haue been giuen vnto her by the man at the same time would not misse at her feeding time or at the sight of meate to cast halfe of them and keepe the rest till the next daie which Hawke I haue recouered and brought to perfection orderlie casting onely with a moderate diet and stones giuen her in the night
would haue kept and loued as that which was contrary to her kind and therefore hated which course is very vnfitting to be held with such a Hawke as you doe finde disposed to keepe her stones very long for it will take no effect with her but onely for the present time Therefore if you will needes vse it it were fitter to be giuen to such a Hawke as doth cast orderly thereby sometimes to purge her selfe of superfluous glut on the sodaine which you suspected or may finde her stomacke to be cloied withall through your owne or others neglect or forbearance to giue stones But for the other slow casting Hawke she will not be cured on the sodaine but it must be wrought with practice and by degrees Therfore when you shall haue such a Hawke and that you shall notwithstanding the councell which I haue giuen to the contrarie resolue to deale with her from her recouerie in the morning it is your best course not to giue her many stones at one time neither let them be of the biggest but about eight or nine of the smallest that Falconers doe vse to giue their Hawkes and then if she do cast anie of them within two howres let her fast no longer but feed her on the rest Also if she cast none of them by that time yet giue her her dinner and also her supper at night yet I haue seene a Hawke that hath cast them between her dinner and her supper but howsoeuer two to one she will cast either all or the most part of them the next morning and therfore let her not fast long before you feed her at any time And by folowing this course you shall finde that in the end it will recouer her and bring her to cast in due time And thus much haue I written for their sakes that think the night too long and are wilfully humored to giue stones in the morning to such Hawkes Neuerthelesse for those that are not so much selfe-will'd or setled in their owne conceits let me withdraw them from the day and perswade them that the night is best to deale with such a Hawke and it offers me occasion of disquiet or distemper vnto her as the morning doth but quietnes and rest and therein shee hath the length of time to receiue the true operation and vertue of the stones Diuerse other reasons I could shewe and alleadge but they are needlesse because in the forepart of this book I haue written more at large vpon the same occasion CHAP. V. Aduertisement touching scowring and purgation EVery Falconer ought to bee most careful to take speciall note of the estate of that hawke the which hee doth determine and dispose himselfe to giue a scowring vnto and also that he do compose and make the same according vnto her necessity the strength and ablenes of her body and thereafter to bestowe it on her also it is as requisite that he do rightly vnderstand at what time it is best and fittest to be giuen For so far as I haue euer perceiued it hath been the opinion of most men and thought the best course vpon any occasion or vnto anie Hawke of what estate soeuer to purge and scowre her in the morning which order sometimes and in some hawks may be amended as it cannot bee chosen but those Hawkes that are brought and come from the cage or other places whereas they haue been fedde continually with base and vilde meate must needes haue all sorts of imperfections abounding in them Wherefore then for such Hawkes it will not be amisse if the Faulconer will not stay the time and benefit thereof by his best indeuour and practice with good meate cleane drest faire water casting and stones to purge and cleanse her with all then to giue her a thorough scowring and such a one as I shall appoint and set downe hereafter and at what time and in that manner as I shall declare and shewe you CHAP. VI. To prepare your strong Hawke and make her fit to be purged IT is meete you labour your strong and full Hawke with carriage with cleane feede with stones and casting at the least viij daies to stir her body and make it fit to be scoured then you must feed the same Hawke in the morning and in that manner that shee may be thorough emptie by eight of the clocke at night Also you must be sure that you giue neither bones nor feathers nor any other thing but onely good and cleane meat then before you goe to bed giue her the scowring and set her vp very warme all night for otherwise shee may take great cold by meanes of her emptines and purging medicine Then must you haue a water readily prouided and made in this sort Take a pint of faire running water put into a glasse whereunto you must put halfe a dozen brused cloues as many thin slices of licorish and a little browne sugger candy then must you rise betimes in the morning and with a spoonefull or two of this water giue her stones altogether and when shee hath cast them againe giue her her breakefast of good meat with reason in the quantity for she wil be perfectly freed from the scowring and will be ready for the same For betwixt the stones and the sweet and comfortable water shee will be purged vpward and downeward from al annoiance of the vnnaturall vnsauory medicine and her meat will agree so much the better with her This water is sufficient of it selfe without any other medicine being giuen with meat to nourish and procure health in any poore Hawke that hath not her deadly wound And so much of the ordering and scowring any Hawke that is strong and able of body to abide and indure the same CHAP. VII How to order your Hawke that shall be found to be weake and vnable to abide or indure any hard or violent dealing by medicine or scowring IT is strange that any Faulconer should haue in his hand a Hawke full of flesh any continuance of time and that then shee should be found to be both bare of her flesh weak and also fowle within it cannot be vnlesse in such a Hawke wherein no hope of life is to be expected but is plainely perceiued to be vnsound and rotten Therefore it must needs appeare that such Hawkes hath beene euelâ—y ordered and continued in vncleane and vnskilfull keeping wherefore perceiuing their pouerty to pinch them it behoues you to deale more gently with them then with the other and to prepare a gentle and easie scowring according to their poore estate and such a one as I shal shew you hereafter And appoint to be giuen vnto such a Hawke on the like occasion And whereas you disposed your selfe formerly and prepared for the night so contrariwise you must doe for the morning because your sickely Hawke will not be able to brooke and endure a cold winters night to sit empty in but it will hazzard her life therefore you must feed her
euery way as first in her castings they will haue seldome any store of moisture in them but it will be froathy and roping her mutes will be thicker then ordinarie and shee will be often dropping of them and seldome slice from her which is an euill signe shee will seeme to be subiect to the cray and the frownce her foot and Seare wil be of a dead colour and her pounces will shew the like for the Iâ—t and glassie die thereof will be vanished and gone away and shee will be subiect and disposed vnto much bowsing weathering and bathing Neuerthelesse if this vnnatuarall heat haue not seated it selfe or planted it in other secret places about the lights reines or other of those priuy parts in white specks or such setled curnels like vnto the mazels of a swine there is no doubt but it may be recouered The which to effect you must take the distilled water or waters of borage and buglose together into the which put halfe a dozen sliced cloues to infuse and with the same water on or both you must feed with all and giue it once a day vnto your Hawke with her meat affording her quiet rest and ease withall that shee may haue no cause to increase the disease Also you must be sure as I haue already forewarned you to be circumspect in her diet that it may be of light and coole meat and small gorges thereof and this will amend and helpe her for otherwise there is no Hawke of what kinde soeuer whose griefe proceedes of heate but that one great gorge increaseth the same and preuenteth the best meanes or remedy that you can vse for the amendement of the same CHAP. XVI To kill and destroy the wormes in the body to heat and quicken a cold stomacke that doth not disgest and indue well but thorough the same ingendereth Fellanders and other grosse humors and imperfections in the pannell and guts THis remedy which here I doe commend vnto you is an old medicine the which hath beene vsed a long time and many yeeres agoe and surely what obseruation or vse other men haue made of it I know not neither am here able to recite it but for my selfe I haue vsed and obserued it and haue certainely found it to be a most speciall and present remedy for such things as here I doe commend it and whereas it hath beene aduised to be giuen out of oile steeped for the same I cannot commend it because I haue not vsed it but for trial long agoe when as then I dislik't it and euer since haue left it But in this manner I haue often and alwaies secretly vnto my selfe giuen it when I haue gathered by such signes as I obserued that my Hawke hath beene in this sort diseased At that time of the yeere when wormewood is growne vp If shee will not bowse faile not the next morning after she hath cast her garlicke to giue her stones with a spoonefull of faire water and you shall see her to purge her self vpwards of slime and glut verie much and is moistest then must you prouide a glasse full of the iuice thereof and into the same put a score of cloues of garlicke cleane pilled and pierced thorough in diuers places and there preserue them close and when you haue ocassion to vse them take forth one cloue or two and a little drie them outwardly and so giue them vnto your Hawke at a night with her supper vsing this order for a weeke together and faile not to let her haue water offered her in a dish euery morning or otherwise as you find her condition Then leaue of your garlicke and euery night after when you doe giue her her supper role two or three bits of meat in musterd seed and giue her and let her casting be euer of plummage you may bruse the seed a little if you will but I hold it more naturall to giue it whole and it is a thing more precious then euer it hath beene imagined to be giuen vnto any Hawke It purgeth the head helps disgestion warmes the stomacke prouokes appetite and preuailes much against all cold causes of the body and whensoeuer you giue your Hawke any traine newly taken from the field be not curious to let her take her pleasure on the crop The vertue of musterd-seed for there is the musterd seed most naturall and kind and there is no better phisicke And whereas it hath beene euer thought a thing vnpossible at anie time or by anie meanes to kill and destroy the wormes of the backe I dare vndertake that if it be possible for any man to know assuredly when his Hawke hath them and for the number to ghesse what store of them that they shall neuer encrease together nor grow after but that garlicke and wormewood shall forstall and correct them nay altogether destroy and wast them and that Hawke that is vsed often vnto it shall neuer die of them for if it be possible for any Hawke to draw by her breath in and vnto her any poisoned infection to rot and kill her wherefore then should shee not as well thorough the same passage sucke vp that which is of force to destroy the wormes and so preserue her I see no reason to the contrary knowing that the bellowes draweth so farre as vnto themselues sauours both good and ill and from them by dispersed vaines all along that leades vnto the backe and other places whereas those wormes doe lie is way whereby may passe a senting remedy for to destroy that maladie or infection of those wormes These worms are to be found in blancke plumed Hawks neither shall there be in any other place any wormes able to abide or indure it but it will correct and kill them vnlesse it be those which are the least in shew substance but greatest in strength of nature and of whom I haue already spoken in the former part of this booke and shewed there vnto what sort of Hawkes they doe belong by nature and kind doing no hurt at all The lunges doe draw a breath whereby to coole the heart as it doth lie Also the liuer by that same aire preserued is both fresh and faire But when these bellowes doe decay then health from both doth fade away CHAP. XVII Another very good scowring to giue vnto any imperfect Hawk that is perceiued to haue Fellanders or other imperfections proceeding from the weakenesse of the stomacke TAke some clarified butter that hath beene preserued in rosewater In this is loofing and cleansing of humors it comforteth and drieth superfluous humors it killeth wormes and resisteth putrifaction then take the leafe of rew and of wormewood of equall portions and with a sharpe knife mince them very exceeding small together then temper and mingell them together with browne suger candy and when you haue so done and roled and made fit to be giuen then into a pellet you must put a little of the powder of mirrie and
then you may be sure there is a further and a more dangerous ground and cause of the same infirmitie which you ought more carefully to looke vnto and prouide for it another remedy you may be assured it is the liuer that is diseased and as it is seldome or neuer mistrusted so also it is a thing as little or no whit at all euer feared but certainely in this case that must needs be the part that is amisse for there are no other places but those two which prouoke that noisome and fuming heat to ascend in that manner vp into the gorge the throat and mouth And for the stomacke I haue here set downe a present and sure meanes with stones and a well ordered diet how to coole and destroy it in that place then of necessity it must needs depend of the liuer and the corruption thereof which is the cause that stones take no effect in the stomacke and for the liuer to amend and stay the inflamation and superfluous heate thereof you must prouide some of the distilled water of sorrell and whensoeuer you doe giue your Hawke stones giue them out of that water and some of it with them also giue it with the meat you feed withall the which you must haue respect vnto and that it may be easie in disgestion and neuer on great gorge vntill shee be cured but easie gorges and the oftener Also if you be disposed you may put into the same water a little slice of rubarbe to infuse for it is a very speciall thing to preserue the liuer and these things with this order well obserued will both coole the liuer and the stomacke and free your Hawke cleane from this disease And so much of this griefe or infirmitie that some men doe call heat in the stomacke others call it heat in the bodie or frownce or the wet frownce CHAP. XXIIII A medicine to kill and destroy the frownce that doth cleane or eate into any part of the mouth tongue or throate where you may come to dresse it TAke a sawcerfull of the best white wine vineger that you can get or may be gotten or more or lesse as you shall thinke good for the quantitie you meane to make and into the same put three or fowre red sage leaues and boile them a prettied pace then take the powder of burnt allum a pretty quantitie and put into it and let it boile euen one walme or two and no more then take it off and put it into a glasse and there keepe it also if you do find the Frownce to be very dangerous take as much brimstone as two small nuts beaten very small and put that into a linnen cloath and tie it fast then let the same be steeped in the rest a day and a night which done take it forth and crush it or streine as much of the iuice as you can into the vineger and throw the other away and this will destroy anie frowne in the world if the Hawke be orderly drest For otherwise the best medicine that euer was is but of little worth Therefore you must vnderstand in what sort you ought to dresse her to the end to preuent the tediousnes of the same and the heating and turmoiling of the poore Hawke which amongst many men haue no end but with the losse of her life on this consideration you must remember in the cure of any such or other thing inward-inwardlie or outwardly wherein consisteth and dependeth the distemper of the whole body and hazzard of life that as the one day you doe apply your salue or other medicine to correct the raging humor or infection of the infirmity so must you the other day giue rest nourishment and good vsage withall to comfort preserue and hold strong the heart and body for otherwise your art is nothing worth and your labour is all in vaine Therefore if the frownce be neuer so rancke or neuer so little at the first dressing take of the scale to the quicke and with the tip of a feather lay on two or three drops of the water being warmed in a spoone and so the next day and after but once in three daies and so vse it being sure that you do neuer pull of anie scale or scal to make it bleed if you can choose but onelie that which will come gentlie away for if you doe it will not heale doe what you can but scab and eat in further and further the mouth is too tender and manie Hawkes are destroied that way with often dressing rubbing fretting a thing so tender as a Hawkes mouth is but otherwise with this water and this order rightly obserued there is no frownce howsoeuer it groweth or is entered but it will suddainely cure and destroy it without all doubt CHAP. XXV Of the Pantas THe Pantas is a disease that in all my life I haue not had one Hawke infected withall neither did I euer heare or know of any other mans that had it that euer could be cured of it and therefore if I should prescribe you any fained or new deuised medicine for it I should both doe my selfe wrong and deceiue many others in so doing therefore it is best for euery man to feare it and euer to be careful to preuent and preserue his Hawke by good vsage from it The griefe is very easie at the first to be decerned for after a little bating shee will begin to fetch her breath thicke with panting after as it more increaseth shee will shew it by labouring in her pannell euen as shee doth sit still Also as it further groweth her lights doe drie or wast shee will be forced to gape for breath after shee hath a little stirred and then there is no remedy for it but if at the first beginning thorough the diligence and skill of her keeper it may be discried there is no doubt but it may be preuented and her life preserued The which to effect take a quarter of a pound of the best sweet butter and put it into dammaske rose water and there preserue and keepe it very close and as you haue need to vse it which must be very often take some of it forth and with the powder of rue and the powder of saffron and a little browne suger candie mingled well together make a pellet or two and giue euery morning vnto your Hawke for a weeke together very earely in the morning and keepe her verie warme continuallie and if it haue not taken too deepe root this will cure and helpe iâ— For these things are speciall preseruatiues and remedies against the stopping drying or wasting of the longs other places from whence this disease or infirmity doe proceed you must keep your butter by itselfe continually in rose water and your powder in a paper vntill you haue need and then mix them and vse them CHAP. XXVI Of the Crocke and the Crampe THe Crocke and the Crampe are two very dangerous euâ—ls and in the nature and
without anie trouble or distemper vnto the Hawk at al which otherwise she might haue receiued through bating striuing and such vnquietnes in the morning after her rest all which most Hawkes of mettell and courage are subiect vnto at that time which is often a great cause that Hawkes doe keepe their stones in the morning All which doe manifestly proue that the night is best Also I haue seene Hawkes many a time for want of orderlie gouernment haue kept their stones the most part of a day and some of them till the next daie and not misse to doe the like whensoeuer they were giuen them in the morning I had also one Hawke my selfe where now I dwel which my master bought and I receiued her with stones in her which was made knowne vnto me and that it was her accustomed order to keepe them or her casting or both togeather and that she did vse to flie with som stones her casting in her This pâ—evish custom I altered and quickly changed and brought her to cast them all and orderly onely by keeping a steddie and carefull hand in the quality and quantity of her diet and feeding not giuing her somtimes too little and som times too much but keeping and obseruing a meane and especially vpon such occasions It is the carefull feeding of your Hawke that makes her seruiceable for there is no Hawke but will flie according as she is ordered and gouerned as if her stomacke be right she will flie with spirit courage and attention to the man otherwise if it be cold and dull she will flie wilde and carelessly and on plaines and howses all which is discommendable in a Hawke and shews the Faulconer faileth of his art and such occasions giue cause to any Hawke to cast at aduenture and not at any certaine time Also in curing of the foresaid Hawke as I vsed a certainety in her diet so also I haue euermore a care to feede very cleane which is an other especiall note to bee marked by all Faulconers for in so doeing they shall be sure to keepe their Hawkes in temper and cleane for thereby they cannot retain any superfluity of glut or any other thing which otherwise might hurt the stomacke and breede sicknesse in the bodie and is a speciall cause to make them cast either stones or casting disorderlie and out of course Another order which I tooke for this purpose was that I continually vsed her vnto stones at night neuer failed to giue her few or manie euery night with most conueniency for the number vntill I had changed and altered her disordered kinde of casting and fully accomplisht my desire which I the sooner brought to pas by reason of this last practise of giuing her stones by night and to proue that it is the best time to giue any Hawke stones in but especially such as shall bee perceiued to haue the like neede * Her desire to the stones is known by her long keeping and detaining theÌ„ and * desireth them in that manner before rehersed I will set downe one example more of mine owne experience I haue an other Hawke which was a Haggard-slight-Faulcon that when I came into the Mew with her dinner did cast vp som few stones at the sight of the meate and when she had eaten vp the same being a yong Pigeon she presently tooke aboue a dozen more which she kept vntill the next day Likewise where now I liue and in my time there was a Tassell-gentle that after hee had eaten a whole yong Pigeon tooke presently 15 or 16. stones vnto the same for proofe whereof I haue many of the best in Bletshoe howse to testifie the same he also made it somthing late the next day before he did cast them which apparently shewed that he naturally loued them and that they did him good and quickned his disgesture These stones were euery morning after laid by him being faire and cleane washt which he neuer missed to take in a moneth togeather yet at the sight of his meate he would not faile to cast som or all of them which is a common thing that may be marked in Hawkes not only in the Mew but also in their flying time the which proueth that Hawkes may be by many occasions prouoked to cast those stones which are giuen them in the morning before they haue wrought to any purpose in them and it was nothing else but that distempered and vntimely casting which made that Hawke continue so long before he could cure him selfe whereas otherwise if he had been vndertaken by his keeper and vsed vnto them at nights though not so many at once yet would he sooner haue bin cured Also this aduiseth that men should be so skilfull and withall so carefull as to espie when their Hawks haue neede of stones and then not to let slip opportunity from one time vnto an other to giue them now and then by chance as on the holy daie or at times of best leisure but they must applie them by daie or night continually with discretion vntill they be cured and shall cast in due time And whensoeuer you doe finde your Hawke to fit long in the morning before she doth cast and in the end also doth keepe some of them still then be sure to cease to leaue of quite in the morning and vse her onely vnto them at night and assure your selfe if she haue no other deadly infirmity in her they will worke a true effect and cause her to cast orderlie at all times If she doth cast as she should doe it must be within an howre and a halfe if they be giuen in the morning for if she doth not either her health or her gouernment are imperfect Also when your Hawke is in her best case and prime of her flying and as cleane as may be yet then forget not when you may conueniently as specially after franke or good feede or in time of rest to giue stones with iudgement in her wants for as they doe worke to cleanse purge any thing that is bred in her stomacke so likewise are they of operation to preuent any euill that is there to be ingendred or bred if it be of substance to be wrought vpon for indeede there is no such phisicke for a Hawke as to giue her stones in due and needefull time and little doe yong Faulconers imagine how kindely their natures doe agree the one with the other I heard one say that after a tedious flight flowne with his Hawke hee would giue her stones to coole her withall which act of his though I did well allow of yet did I disallow of his opinion concerning their effects for indeed he knew what he did in action but not in operation for no doubt he thought those stones with their coldnesse would not only coole her for the present He knew he gaue her stones but he knew not their effects but also that they onely wrought a cold effect and so