Maison rustique, or The countrey farme· Compyled in the French tongue by Charles Steuens, and Iohn Liebault, Doctors of Physicke. And translated into English by Richard Surflet, practitioner in physicke. Now newly reuiewed, corrected, and augmented, with diuers large additions, out of the works of Serres his Agriculture, Vinet his Maison champestre, French. Albyterio in Spanish, Grilli in Italian; and other authors. And the husbandrie of France, Italie, and Spaine, reconciled and made to agree with ours here in England: by Geruase Markham. The whole contents are in the page following

Of Hawking.

CHAP. XLII.

What Hawking is.

IT is most certaine, that the skill and knowledge of hawking hath beene brought into an art of late times, as hath beene said: auncient writers, as Aristotle and Plinie, the admirers of high and excellent things, and the diligent and industrious searchers out of all things, would not haue cast behind them so great and famous a worke of the skill of man, as to lure and reclaime the birds of pray, but would haue written of it, if it had beene then in vse. For this is a wonder to see a bird which hath been wild to become tame, to drop out of the skies and to light vpon a mans fist: to soare aloft as high as the cloudes to seeke other birds to kill them, and also to make warre vpon the foules, and such as liue below vpon the earth, and withall to take certaine foure footed beasts, as the Hare, Rabbets, and Co∣nies. This skill is now a daies so highly honoured, as that the great nobles of the world, will that it should bee consecrated wholly to themselues, as reseruing it for a pastime onely beseeming them, and in this our countrie of France it is had in such price, as that the gentleman which is ignorant in this skill, and that other of hunting, is lightly prized, as though he lackt the two things which of all other (chilualrie and martiall skill excepted) are the most rare and excellent.

Now as hawking is the art and skill of luring and reclaiming of birds of the pray,

to cause them to flye at other birds, liuing either in the ayre, vpon the earth, or about the vvaters: so hee is called a Faulconer, vvhose place and office it is to reclayme such birds: vvherein, if vvee please to looke a little more neerely into the name, it should seeme, that the later Frenchmen haue followed the elder and auncient Frenchmen and Greekes in their giuing of names: For euen as the auncient French∣men were of iudgement, that the name of Sacre, which the Greekes named 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, and the Latines Accipiter, was the generall name, vnder vvhich should be comprehended all birds of prey (howsoeuer that Sacre in French, and 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 in Greeke, be the speciall name of a bird of prey:) euen so the Frenchmen of our time haue agreed together, that the Faulcon should be the chiefe in his kinde, and affoord the generall name (as by the way of surpassing excellencie) vnto all other birds of prey: because that the Faulcon (compared with all the birds of prey) is the best of vving, and excee∣ding all the rest in goodnesse, stoutnesse, and tractablenesse: as if a man were dis∣posed to lay, the Faulcon gentle, the Pilgrim Faulcon, the Tartarie Faulcon, the Barbarie Faulcon, the Gerfaulcon, the Faulcon Sacre, the Faulcon Lanier, the Puni∣cian Faulcon, and so of the rest.

CHAP. XLIII.

What birds are good to make Hawkes of.

NOw wee must not thinke, that all birds of prey are good and fit to make Hawkes of, but onely such as are stout, and of a resolute cou∣rage, and are able to flye at anie bird vvhatsoeuer, either vvater-fowle, or land-fowle: of vvhich nature, there are tenne speciall and seuerall kinds, being sufficiently knowne of euerie one, and for the most part verie common to be had in Fraunce, that is to say, the Eagle, the Gripe, the Goshawke, the Sparrow-hawke, the Gerfaulcon, the Merlin, the Faulcon, the Lanier, the Sacre, and the Hobbie.

Foure of them flye from the fist, and kill at randome, as the Goshawke, the Sparrow-hawke, the Gerfaulcon, and the Merlin: and foure of them lye aloft in the ayre, as the Faulcon, the Sacre, the Lanier, and the Hobbie. As for the Eagle and the Gripe, they are not anie thing knowne in France. A great part of these birds (the Gripe onely excepted) haue the feathers of their traynes and vvings verie much glistering for the most part. All of them haue their beakes and tallons crooked, and they are almost like one vnto another, for they shew no difference, except it be in greatnesse, seeing likewise that their colour doth diuersly change according to their mues, vvhich cause them to be called Hagards, or Sores, all one with that which is vsually done by dried Her••ings, vvhich are called Sores, or red Herrings.

There are verie manie birds of the prey vvhich are rouers continually abroad, neither can it be learned well from what place or countrey they come, nor vvhi∣ther they goe: so that wee might alwaies remaine ignorant of what countrey our Hawkes are, vvere vvee not giuen it to vnderstand by them vvhich vse to bring Hawkes out of Italie, Germanie, and other strange countries. Such as bring vs Hawkes, doe take them for the most part with lime-twigges, vvhich is the cause of the crushing of their feathers, vvhich yet may at pleasure be taken away vvith vvarme vvater.

But whether they be brought from farre, or bred neere about vs, for to reclaime and bring them vnto the lure, first, they must not be taken out of the neast before they be strong, and growne pretie great ones, and able to stand vpon their feet: for and if

they should be taken away sooner, yet they must not be handled, but kept in a neast as like vnto their owne as may be. Afterward, as the time shall affoord, they are to be set vpon blocks, or vpon some pearch, for the better preseruing of their feathers from grating vpon the ground.

They must be fedde with liue meat as oft as may be, because it will make their feathers to put forth the better. Notwithstanding, the meat and flesh that is more than ordinarie good for them, is to feede them with the legges or necks of Hennes: cold flesh is naught for them: Beefe, Porke, and such other, are of too strong di∣gestion for them, and especially the flesh of night-beasts, that is to say, such as flie about in the night, and are ••••arce euer seene in the day time: such are the great Duke, the little Duke, the Owle, the Shrich-owle, and the Bat: for if they should eate thereof, they would die. The flesh of Pigeons, young Swallowes, and Mutton, is farre better for them. Hennes flesh, being swee••e and pleasant, doth trouble the belly of the bird, if she eate it cold: vvherefore, the bird that is greatly delighted with such flesh, might possibly forsake the game, and seize vpon Hennes, if she see any in her way as she is flying. Wherefore to meete with this inconuenience, you must feede the bird with young Pigeons, or young Swallowes: the flesh of Pies and old Pigeons is bitter, and bad for these kinds of birds: Cowes flesh is bad for them, as making them too laxatiue, vvhich commeth by the heauinesse thereof, vvhich causeth hard digestion. And if necessitie compell you to fe••de them with gros••e flesh, for want of better, let it be tempered and washed with warme water: if it be in Winter, you must presse it: and in Summer it must be washed in cold water. The flesh that you feede your birds withall, must be picked, that there bee not fat sinewes or veines left vpon it. You must not suffer them to eate whiles they will at once, but with some small distance of time betwixt, letting them rest in ea∣ting: and now and then you must hide away their meate, before they bee full gorged, and then afterward giue it to them againe: but when it is taken from them, and also when it is giuen them, they must not see it, for feare of making them bate.

Likewise it is good to make them plume vpon small birds, as they did in the vvoods. Yearely in the beginning of Autumne they must be brought downe by laxatiue medicines, if they be too high: as namely, by giuing them Aloes vvith their meate:* 1.1 vvhich must be of some good, liue, and warme meate, for otherwise they would be taken downe too much. After that they haue beene purged, you must prepare them for the game: and againe, when you are purposed to flye them, it will not be amisse to giue them casting of Towe, couered with flesh, and made in forme of a pill, and that at night, to the end they may cast it vp againe in the morning, with much more flegmaticke matter: for by this meanes they will become more healthfull, of a better appetite, more emptie, swift, and readie for the prey.* 1.2 Porkes flesh giuen them warme with a little Aloes, maketh the bird loose and to slice out readily: but you must obserue and see that she be put in a warme place after she hath beene purged, and withall, to feede her on your fist with some liue bird, for at such times her entrailes are much dried. They are discerned to be sicke, vvhen their fundament swelleth and becommeth red,* 1.3 as also their nosthrils and eyes. And thus much of the luring and reclaiming of them in generall: now let vs got vnto the particular.

CHAP. XLIIII.

Of birds of the prey in particular.

AMongst all birds of the prey,* 1.4 the Vulture (called of the Grecians 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, and of the Latines Vultur) is the greatest: a passenger (or bird for a time) in Egypt: knowne in this countrey rather by his skinne and feathers, than otherwise, because the Skinners are wont to make stomachers to lay ouer the stomacke, and the Fletchers feathers thereof, to set vpon arrowes. They may be fed with small tripes, dead carkas••es, and out-cas••••ngs of beasts. Likewise some report of them, that ordinarily they follow Campes, because of the dead bodies. They can∣not rise from the earth to flie, except they first take their aduantage by running, or else take their leaue vpon some great butt.

The Eagle is called the King of birds: very vnhandsome to carrie vpon the fist, by reason of his corpulencie: hard to reclaime, being once wild, because of his boldnes, might, readines, and easie inclination to hurt the Faulconer in the fate, or elsewhere. Wherfore, who so desireth to haue him good, must take him in the neast, and reclaime him with coursing-dogges, to the end, that when he is to flie, he may follow them, that so they hauing put vp the Hare, Foxe, Roe-buck, or any other such beast, he may seize vpon it to stay it. He may be fed with any manner of flesh, especially of such beasts as he taketh and seizeth vpon. The Faulconer must be diligent to attend him well, be∣cause he is very apt to flie away: but that mischiefe may be preuented, by sewing the feathers of his traine in such sort, as that he cannot spread them to flye with them: or else by plucking bare the hole of his fundament in such sort, as that it may appeare: for thereupon he being driuen into a feare of the cold, he will not be hastie to ••o••re so high. The Eagle is knowne to be good and faire, when he is of a red colour, hauing deepe eyes, and a whitenesse vpon his head or back.

The Sparrow-hawke & the Goshawke* 1.5 differ not in any other point than in great∣nesse and strength: because the Goshawke is of a stronger nature, and therefore not so soone sick as the Sparrow-hawke: they are both of one kind, as are also the Rauen and the Iay, the great dogge and the little one, and both of them are of two sorts, either such as are taken abroad in the woods, or else such as are taken young out of the neast. Of this sort there is good choise to be made, in respect of their aptnesse to learne; as also of those which are fliers, but haue neuer mued their feathers, neither made any aire, or fed any young ones.

The goodnesse and fairenesse of a Sparrow-hawke is knowne by their being great and short, and yet hauing a little head and somewhat round aboue, a thicke beake, the eyes somewhat hollow, and the circle about the apple of the eye of a colour betwixt greene and white, a long and somewhat thick neck, open in the place where the reines lie, sharpe towards the traine, not very long, set with good and large feathers, hauing flat and short legges, sharpe ••allons, thicke and broad shoulders, long and small feet, blacke feathers when they are taken young in their aire, and which follow the old one from bough to bough, hauing neuer yet mued.

And though here,* 1.6 for the familiaritie and common vse we haue of them, I put the Sparrow-hawke before the Goshawke; yet it is to be vnderstood, that the Goshawke is a great deale the more worthier Hawke, both in respect of her beautie and comeli∣nesse, as also in respect of the worth & estimation of the prey she killeth: for amongst Faulconers, that Hawke is held worthiest which killeth the greatest prey: The Mal∣lard-killer be valued before the Partridge-killer, and the Hearne-killer before the Mallard: so the Sparrow-hawke, which is most vsuall for the Bush and Blackbird, at the most can aspire no further than the killing of a Poo••e, or a Partridge, cannot com∣pare with a Goshawke, which killeth not only the Partridge, but the Phesant, Hare, & Conie. Most of the French Goshawkes breed in Norway, but they are the worst kind,

and neither so valiant, sound or durable, as those which are bred in Ireland, especial•• in the North parts thereof, which are easie to bee knowne from any other countrie goshawke, by the ••lender and fine shapes of their heads, their exceeding quicke and sharpe looking eies, and the palish or sea-coloured greenenesse of their legs. As for the sparrow-hawkes, they are bred both in France, England, Ireland, and ma∣ny other countries, and very good and hard hawkes in all those places: yet are some ayryes better than other some, according to the scituation of the place, and tempera∣ture of the ayre, for such as are bred in warme climats, and where they pray but vp∣on small birds, as sparrows, robbins, wrens, linne••s, and such like, are nothing so valiant as those which are bred in cold climats and tall woods, where they pray vpon black••birds, iayes, pyes, and such strong and fiercer foule: neither is the ayre of the wood so good as the ayre of the rocke, because their pray being so neere vn∣to them, they do not labour or take that ••oyle which the other doth, and therefore are much more sloathfull of wing, and lesse giuen to paines taking: also the ayrie which buildeth highest and vpon the tallest timber trees is the best, because it shew∣eth courage in the mount, and those which build low and neere to the springs are worst, for it shewes a faintnesse of spirit and a sloathfulnesse in nature. Now though the best taking of either of these hawkes (as before I said) is when they are branchers, and are able to follow their dams from bough to bough, and to foot the pray which she killeth for them: yet some Faulconers loue to take them from their nests, as soone as they be disclosed, and to bring them vp in such maner, as they may know no other damme but their keeper, being persuaded that such familiaritie and long acquain∣tance with the man, makes them more louing, and lesse apt to take toy and flie away than the other by many degrees,* 1.7 and doubtlesse it is most true: yet these thus brought vp, and which are called of Faulconers Iias-hawkes, are nothing so valiant a•• tho••e which are taken long time after, and are called ramadge hawkes. Besides this, too much familiaritie or acquaintance with the man, makes them so ouer fond and do∣••ing, that they will neuer leaue crying, or making a noise as oft as they are either bare faced, or want any thing they desire: besides they will be so do••ing of the man, that you shall be a much longer time in entring them or making them foot the praie than the other, because they will expect euery thing from the keeper, and rather flie and sit vpon his shoulder than labour or striue for the pray which flies before them: therefore howsoeuer the care of holding or keeping your hawke fast vnto you, may intice you to esteeme the Iiaes hawke, yet you shall euer find the ramage or brancher much lesse troublesome, and fitter for your purpose.

The way to take them is thus: the birder must bee hid behind a bush, and before the bush a plaine or smooth aire, but foure square, and six sticks prickt downe about it of the thickenesse of ones thombe, and of the height of a man, three on euery side: to these stickes you shall tie nets of greene threed that is very small, and to them a small line or cord, which shall be at the commaund of the man that is hid behind the bush: within the aire there shall feede diuers small birds, especially spinks, or chaf∣finches, whereupon the sparrow hawke will not faile by and by very fiercely to flie into the nest, thinking to take the birds, but indeed becomming fast, and ouercast in the nets: then the birder shall take her, and bind her wings below, together with her legs and traine, that so she may not struggle or beat herselfe.

They are purposely woont to hide themselues in Winter vpon long poles, amongst high and tall trees, vnder some small and slender tree in some hedge row: they are re∣claimed by keeping them long, and oft vpon the fist, but especially at the breake of day: they must be fed twice a day, or once, as when it is determined to flie them the day following; for then she must be kept sharpe, that so she may bee the more eager vpon the pray: which likewise they will performe if they haue put off their gorge of the same day, which is perceiued by the emptinesse of their gorge. They mue yearely in March or Aprill, and at such times they must be kept in warme places, or in such places as where the South Sunne shineth against some wall. Their meat must be of good flesh, as birds or mutton, that so they may become very far: the sparrow

hawke is apt to flie away: but to preuent the same, her keeper must be carefull to do•• her no hurt, neither yet to gainesay her in any thing, being giuen to be disdainefull. When he goeth forth to flie her, he must not let her range any farre way off, because that if she mis••e of the bird she flieth at, she goeth for anger, and flieth to some tree, refusing to returne againe to her keeper: he must not flie her too oft, but content himselfe with what she can reasonably take, giuing her of her prey to feede vpon, that so she may perceiue and find, that her prey is something worth vnto her, and thereby become the more freely stirred vp to flie. The birds which she taketh, are the Partridge, Quaile, Stare, black-Bird, and other such like. For to flie her at smal∣ler birds, as the hedge-Sparrow, Linne••, and such like, is not good, because being naturally coy, and apt to find fault, it will entice her to carrie and flie away with the prey in her foot, to which they are more apt than any other Hawke whatsoeuer: and hauing once found a tast or spice thereof, they are euer after verie hardly reclay∣med. It is good to enter your Sparrow-hawke* 1.8 first at the Partridge, vvhen the game is verie young, and not able to flie either farre, or aboue one flight at most, that thereby she may get bloud quickly, and so be encouraged to flie the game home: vvhereas entring her at strong game, such as are able to flie farre, and oft, missing the first or second time, she will take such a distrust to her wing, that not be∣ing able to trusse or foot them at the first springing, she will presently turne tayle, and refuse to flie further. There be some that vse to enter their young Sparrow-hawkes at the hand Partridge seeled, in this manner: They take the Partridge, being seeled, and a long creance fastened to her feet, and then comming into the field, in a place likely for haunt, digge vp a round ••odd, and lay the Partridge in∣to the hole: then couer the Partridge with the sodd, so as it cannot rise, and to the sodd also fasten another creance: and then encouraging the Spanyels to hunt, and making such a cheerefull noyse vnto them as Faulconers are wont to doe in such like cases, on the suddaine plucke the sodd from the Partridge, and let her spring in the full view of the Hawke: then let off the Hawke after her, and hauing footed her, feed her very well vpon the same: and thus doe twice or thrice, but no oftener in any case, least the Hawke finding your deceit, and her owne ••ase, looke so much for it, that she will refuse to flie at any other game. And these flights are called traines, because they only traine or teach a young Hawke how to bestow her wing, and make her selfe victor ouer the prey she seeketh: yet these must be vsed but onely at the be∣ginning, and not often, for feare of the inconuenience before rehearsed. Some other old Faulconers enter their Hawkes at the Quarrie, which is, when an old Hawke hath flowne the Partridge to the marke, and is vpon her wing readie to attend the retriue, then to let in the yong Hawke to the old, that they may both come to the death of the Partridge together. This is also a good manner of entring of Hawkes▪ but is fitter and more oftener vsed for entring of Hawkes at the riuer, than at the field, because those often stoopings at the riuer makes a Hawke more expert and cunning, and she stan∣deth in much more need of instruction and example in that▪ than in the other.

There must great care be had to heale her when she is sicke.* 1.9 If she ••all into an ague after much flight, or by reason of other accidents, she must be set in coole places, vpon some pearch, wrapped about with wet clothes, and feed her a little and often with the flesh of little Chickens, first soaked in vvater, vvherein haue beene steeped the seedes of Cucumbers or Gourds. If she be ouer-cooled, she must be ••et in warme places, and fed with the flesh of some Cockrell or Pigeons soaked in vvine, or in the decoction of Sage, Mari••rome, or such other Hearbes. If she haue lice, you must annoint her pearch with the iuice of Nightshade or Wormewood. If she haue the vvormes i•• her belly, you must powder her meat with the powder of Peach-tree leaues. If she digest her meat ill, and keepe it altogether, you must make her swallow ••••wne the heart of a frogge into her throat, pulling the same backe againe by and by, being held by a small thred, for so you shall make her c••st all her meat. If she haue the gowt in her wings or legges, you must let her bleed some few droppes of bloud vpon the veine that is vnder her wing or thigh. If she haue the gowt in her foot, you must

annoint her feet with the iuice of the herbe, called in French Lectorelle, as also, her pearch, annointing the place afterward with tallow.

If she bee troubled with the frounce,* 1.10 or mouth canker, you shall wash the ••ore with allome and strong vineger, beaten together till they be as thicke as puddle. If you will prepare her stomake for the receiuing of a purge, and both comfort and strengthen it, you shall wash her meate in water, in which cloues and licoras haue beene steept: if you will purge her stomake, you shall giue her Aloes: if you will purge her liuer, you shall giue her Rubarbe: if you will purge her kidnes, or take away the shortnesse of breath, or kill wormes, giue her Agaricke: if you will purge her of her gripings in the bodie, or take away the pantas, or kill fellanders, giue her Rewe or herbe of grace:* 1.11 if you will comfort the heart, or fortifie the lungs, giue her Saffron: to clense away all putrifaction, giue her Myrthe: if you will purge her head, take away windinesse, or what griefe commeth of cold causes, giue her Mustard-seed: if you will purge from her grosse humours, giue her wormewood: for any disease of the liuer whatsoeuer, there is nothing better, than to wash her meate in the water of Liuerworte: for any inward inflammation, wish her meate in the water of Sorrell: for the casting of her gordge, and to strengthen the stomak againe, wash her meate in the iuice of Mints, or the distilled water thereof: for all dulnesse of spirit, and sadnesse of heart, wash her meate in the water or iuice of burrage, or buglosse: to molli••ie the hardnesse of the liuer, or any other oppellati∣ons, giue her the iuice of Hearts-tongue: to make away obstructions, or stoppings in the head, giue her either Ros••marie, or the water thereof: for the weakenesse of the sinewes, trembling of members, or for cramps, swellings, soares, or canker, giue her sage-bruise outwardly, or the iuice inwardly: for pur••inesse, or short breath▪ giue her the iuice of Horehound: for the numbnesse or stiffenesse of ioines, cankers, or sores, bathe them in the decoction o•• of woodbine: for all manner of infection, poyson, or inward bruises, giue her the herbe Cardus Benedictus, which herbe, you may giue either greene, or dryed, either the iuice, or the powder, or if you please, you may giue the distilled water: for the biting of any mad dogge, or any other venimous beast, annoynt the place either with Angelica, or the iuice of an onion: for any extreame drought or heate which is in the stomake, wash all her meate in the decoction of French Barley: for any Fistula, or cankorous sore, take Brimstone: for the Pantas, take Butter and Rose-water: for the Crampe, take Poli∣podie of the oake, or the iuice of Brianie, or of Garlicke, or where they faile, take the powder of the rootes of Pionie, and let the Hawke smell to the same, or pounce her na••es therewith: for the falling sicknesse, wash her meat in the iuice of Pel∣litorie of Spaine: for the pinne in the foot, make her a plaister of Galbanum, white pitch, and Venice-turpentine, and applie it to the same: Lastly for the Rie, which is a disease of all other, most common and incident to all manner of hawkes, but especially to these short winged hawkes, you shall take a rumpe of mutton, and cut away the fat which is about it, very cleane, and then foulding the same in a handfull of parceley, let your hawke feed and tire herselfe thereupon at her pleasure, and it will make the filth to issue and come forth out of her nares, and purge her head wonderfully.

The Faulcon (as we haue said) in the art of hawking, is sometimes a generall word taken for all kinds of hawks, sometimes it is taken for a speciall word, and according to that sence, there are diuers sorts of that name, which I omit to intreat seuerally of, because of such as haue written of the nature of birds: but howsoeuer, the Faulcon is the prince of the birds of pray (I meane in respect of flight) for her stoutnesse and great courage, and is to be accounted of great value, when she hath a round head, and the top of her head is full, her beake short and thicke, her nostrels great and open, her eie browes high and thicke, her eies great and cloaked, a long necke, a high brest, large shoulders, the feathers of her wings thinne, long thighes, short and chicke legs, greene, great, and well spred feet, blacke, sharpe, and pearching ••alon••: and which i•• for bignesse neither too great nor too little.

The Faulcon, as all other birds of prey, hath her Tiercelet, and they are called of the Latines Pomiliones, that is to say, small birds, resembling them, and nothing diffe∣ring from them, saue onely in greatnesse: and they are all of them (as it were) the males of the birds of prey, the females being, for the most part, of greater bulke and bodies than the males. That of the Faulcon is called nothing but a Tiercelet, or the male Faulcon. The Tiercelets of the other Hawkes haue their proper names: as, the male Sparrow-hawke is called a Musket: the male Lanier, a Laneret: and the male Sacre, a Sacret. The Tiercelet of the Faulcon hath his feathers ver••e glittering, his head and eyes black, ash-coloured vpon his back and traine, and yet glittering. He is a Hawke for the lure, as also the Faulcon, and not for the fist. His legges and feet are yellow, hauing for the most part a pale breast: he carrieth two very black spots vpon his feathers, on the sides of his eies. To reclaime the Faulcon, you must haue him com∣monly vpon your fist, feed him with the wings and legges of Hennes soked in water, and set him in a darke place: sometimes presenting them with a bason full of water, wherein they may bathe themselues, and after their bathing, drie them at the fire: they must be vsed first to take small birds: then, indifferent great ones: and afterward, grea∣ter ones: but you must not feed them with any part of the birds which they shall haue taken. They flie maruellous swift, and mount very high, there houering and soaring, but withall, still looking downeward: and when they see the Duck, the greene Goose, Crane, or Heron, they come downe like an arrow, their wings shut and drawne toge∣ther, right vpon the Fowle, to breake in vpon her with her tallons behind: at vvhich time if they happen to mis••e, and the Fowle flie away, they presently flie after: but and if they cannot seize vpon her, as enraged and angrie, they take so long a ••light thereupon, as that they loose their master.

The Faul••on is more fit than any other Hawke to flie the Heron, and all other fowle of the riuer. Her diseases, and the curing of them, are like vnto those of the Sparrow-hawke: howbeit, the Faulcon is of a stronger nature than the Sparrow-hawke.

The Hobbie is the least of all Hawkes in respect of bodie, except the Merlin, and is likewise for the lure, and not for the fist, being of the number of those that soare aloft, as the Faulcon, the Lanier, & the Sacre. This bird is sufficiently knowne euery where: for there is not any country where the Hobbies doe not follow the hunters, in as much as it is the proper worke of the Hobbie to make her prey of the little birds as they flie, as by name, the La••ke. This is his speciall propertie, that hauing found the hunters in the field, going to hunt the Hare or the Partridge, he keepeth them companie, still fly∣ing ouer their heads, hoping to meet with some one little bird or other which the dog•• shall put vp: but for the most part these little birds doe rather chuse to become a prey vnto the dogges, or else to find out some means to saue themselues amongst the horses, or to be taken aliue, than to commit themselues to the mercie of the Hobbie, their mor∣tall aduersarie. But howsoeuer, the Hobbie will not follow the hunter longer than a certaine time, as though he had his houres limited him: for leauing them, he goeth to looke out the place of his rest amongst the vvoods of high timber-trees, vvhere they keepe and pearch ordinarily. He hath a blew ••eake, yellow legs and feet, the feathers vnder his eyes very black, the top of his head betwixt black and a darke yellow, two white spots aboue his necke, but vnderneath his throat, and on either side of his tem∣ples, russet ones: his wings very blew: his back, traine, and wings, black on the vpper side: his traine very much consisting of variable colours vnderneath, by reason of red spots traced ouerthwart amongst the blacke. If you can see him flying in the ayre, he may be perceiued to be somewhat red vnder his traine, and betwixt his legges.

The Hobbie is so quicke and swift, as that he dare aduenture vpon the Rauen, and giue him many a drie bob in the ayre.

He is chiefely esteemed for the sport of darying of Larkes,* 1.12 to which he is naturally inclined, because it is the prey in which he most naturally delighteth: and the manner of daring of Larkes is in this sort. When you see a Larke play and flie neere vnto the ground, quiuering her wings, and making a gentle noise in the ayre, you shall then

li••t vp your fist whereon the Hobbie sitteth, and giue her the sight of the Larke, vvho presently thereupon will spread them abroad, and waue them in the vvind, at vvhich sight the Larke will leisurely stoope downe to the ground, and there lye close, as if she were vnperceiued, vvhilest you in the meane space shall with your Horse and Hawke ride about her, and about her, till you come so neere her, that you may lay your daring-net ouer her: vvhich net is a little round net like a Pursnet, not aboue a foot or two ouerthwart, and fastened bought-wise vnto the end of a long pole, like a Hawkes pole: as soone as you haue couered the Larke, you shal light and take her vp, and giue your Hawke the head onely. This is a sport very delicate, and of long conti∣nuance, and therefore much respected amongst ladies and gentlewomen.

The Merlin is the least of all other Hawkes which Faulconers make any vse of: he is for the fist,* 1.13 and not for the lure: howbeit, for ne••essitie ••ake he may be trained to the lure: he resembleth the Faulcon so naturally, as that there may seeme to be no diffe∣rence betwixt them, saue onely in greatnesse: for he hath the same ges••es, plumage, and conditions: vvherefore he must be reputed as royall as the Faulcon, or at least of the same linage and nature with the Faulcon. He is very stout of courage: for although he be not much bigger than a Black-bird or Pigeon, yet he dareth to aduenture vpon the Quaile and Partridge, and such other birds greater than himselfe: and his courage is such, as that oftentimes he will flie them to the next houses or villages, yea, into bur∣ning fire, and vnder the garments of men or women. He must be ••ed and handled af∣ter the same manner that the Faulcon. The generall prey whereupon he most ordi∣narily feedeth, is the Larke: vvhence it commeth, that he euer chusing to liue vvhere they most haunt, hee is often taken with the day-nets: for stooping to strike at the Larke, he is taken in the net himselfe. Of Merlins* 1.14 there are both male and female: the male is called the Iack Merlin, and is as the male of other Hawkes, a great deale lesse than the female, and indeed are so very little, that they are of very small or no vse: the female is called the formale, and being much larger, valiant, and full of courage, they will sley the Partridge all Summer long. These Merlins are of all Hawkes the tende∣rest, and can the least endure cold of any bird vvhatsoeuer, especially of their feet: vvhich being once nipt vvith frost, and benummed, they presently vvill eate them of themselues, and so become lame and vselesse. Therefore vvhen you mue them in the Winter time, you shall mue them in a very warme and close house, and vpon a pearch very well lined and couered with thicke lists, or other vvoollen cloth. Some vse to line their pearches with Cony-skinnes, or other furred skinnes, turning the fur∣red sides outward, but that is somewhat too hot, and makes them more tender and apt to feele the cold than otherwise they would be: vse then a moderate temper of warmth, and no further. Of all sorts of Merlins, the Irish Merlin* 1.15 is the best, for she is neuer at any time troubled with this infirmitie: and you shall know her by her pale greene legs, and the contrarie Merlin by her bright yellow legs When they haue flowne all Sum∣mer at the Partridge, you may make them for the bush in the Winter, and so haue them flying all the yeare; vvhich is the best course that can be taken with them: for they are naturally of themselues so tender, that they can verie hardly endure m••ing.

The Gerfaulcon* 1.16 is a bird that is seldome seene, except it be amongst Faulconers belonging to great Lords: she is a great bodied bird, insomuch, as that she is thought of some to be a kind of Eagle: she is fit to flie at any thing, for she is bold, and neuer giueth ouer any thing: but she is more hard to reclaime and bring to the lure, than any other Hawke, because she is so venturous and fantasticall: for and if she be not hand∣led gently, and haue a mild master to vse her kindly, she will neuer become reclaimed. This is the strongest of all other birds, except the Eagle: she is kept vpon the fist, she is long bodied, hauing her b••ll, legges, and feet of a blew colour, and her tallons very open and long: she is cunning at the taking of the birds of the riuer, for she wearieth them in such sort, that in the end they are forced to yeeld, as not being able ••o diue any more.

The principall flight wherein she taketh delight, is at the Herne, for her spirit

and courage stirs her vp to actions of the greatest worth: and of these Gerfaulcons, the white is the principall best of all other,* 1.17 and of greatest price: they are exceeding tender, and very apt to take surfeits, and therefore ••eldome long liued, which is the reason that they are not of such generall vse as other hawkes are, neither are they got but with great cost, and paine••ulnesse which maketh them to be held of very great price, and so not for euerie ones purchase. Aboue all other things, they may not endure the losse of any bloud, in so much that the shedding of one poore droppe, though at the pounce, or other outward part which is least mortall, is the vtter losse of the haukes life: they can in no sort be kept too cold, or withered too much, in so much, that if after her flying, you suffer her to sit abroad one whole frostie night, she will be much the so••nder, and better for the same. Nay I haue seene some Faul∣coners, which after the bathing of the hawke,* 1.18 haue set her abroad till the moisture hath beene frozen vpon their feathers, and hath beene persuaded that she hath ••lowne her next slight much better for the same: she must be exceeding painefully laboured withall at her first beginning, for she is apt to take deslike at the mans face, and ther∣fore must be carried vpon the fist more than any other hauke: she must also be kept much bare-faced after she is acquainted with the man, and c••ntinually stroaked and coyd about the head, bodie, and feet with a loose feather, to make her more ••ame and gentil: she must also be much whooped and gibbetted vnto, that she may be acquain∣ted with the voice of the man, and with those sounds which she must obey and ••ol∣low: she may very well be flowne from Michaelmas vntill the Spring, but in no wise after; for the ••ea••on of the yeare growing then warme, and lust springing within her, out of a naturall instinct which she hath to her owne clyme, she will away and leaue you, how well soeuer reclaimed, or how sharpe and ••it soeuer ••et for the pleasure you go about: In so much that it hath been credibly known, that diuers Gerfaulcons haue beene taken vp in Island, some with French, and some with Engl••sh varuells vpon them, to the great admiration and astonishment both of those which haue taken them, and those which haue lost them. The Gerfaulcon like the Faulcon gentill, is to to be chosen all of one pe••ce, and either a blacke or ••andie male, by no meanes dropt, but of a cleere and bright plume, with ful summed feathers, vubrused, and vnbroken: of all hawks they couer their sicknesse longest, and out of their me••••alls seeme sound, when they are inwardly most rotten; therefor•• it is not good in any wise to buy or meddle with them til you haue seene them mute, receiued •• full gorge, and put it ouer, and lastly in the morning haue seene her casting: in all which if you find no extraor∣dinare imperfection, you may then safely buy her, and what los••e after succeeds im∣pute it to your owne negligence. The male to the Gerfaulcon is that which is called ••he Ierkin, being a much lesse bird, yet of exceeding good mettall and courage, and as sit to flie at the riuer, as any other hawke vvhatsoeuer, hauing a naturall loue to all manner of water foule, and continually when he is vvild, making his prey vpon the same.

The Sacre being a principall bird amongst those of the prey, is like vnto the Faul∣con in greatnesse, a hawke that is good for the Kite, but hee may bee made fit for any vvild flesh, as also for the open field to take wild Geese, Feasant, Par••ridge, and all other sorts of vvild foule.

The Sacre* 1.19 is of more ill fauoured coloured feathers than any other hawke, for she is of a colour as it were betwixt red and smokie, short sooted, hauing blew legs and talons. It is a vvandring bird, and seldome found in this countrie: her Teirselet is the Sacret; so that the Sacret is the male, and the Sacre is the female. Noble men desirous to haue some sport betwixt him and the Kite, do first make the Kite to stoope (for the Kite is woont in the Summer to keepe on high in the aire, to e••uoy the coolenesse of the aire, vvhich is greatest in the middle region of the aire) by hauing some one or other Faulconer to carrie a ducke vpon his fist, hauing a certaine quantitie of a Fox taile hanging thereat, thus letting her fle in some plaine ground, they giue the Kite occasion to stoope: for vvhen the Kite is aduised of the Ducke, he stoopeth by and by vnto the ground, and drawing neere vnto her, doth there keepe himselfe without

doing any other thing, but beholding of her, as maruelling at her forme: Then the Sacre is to be cast off at him, who thinking himselfe swift, hopeth by flight to ouer∣take him: wherupon the Kite mounteth vpward, turning round therewithall as much as he can: and so the combate becommeth pleasant to behold, especially if it be in a plaine without trees, and that the aire be cleare, and without wind: for one shall see both the Sacre and the Kite to mount so high, as that they will be both out of sight: but all will not serue, for the Sacre will make him yeeld, bea••ing him downe to the ground with such chumps, as he lighteth vpon him withall.

The Lanier* 1.20 diff••reth not much from the Faulcon, and he taketh his surname of the Faulcon, for he is commonly called the Faulcon Lanier: he is commonly found in this countrey: and for that hee is of gentle conditions, and better endureth gros••e meates than any other Hawke, men are wont to content themselues with him, causing him to serue their purpose euerie way. Faulconers chuse those Laniers that haue great heads, short bills, blew and yellow feet, their fore-feathers of a mixture of black and white, not hauing ouerthwart strakes, as the Faulcon, but straight spots going along the fea∣thers, a short and somewhat thicke necke, as also a bill of the same fashion. The La∣nier is the female, and the Lancret is the male, and hath not so bigge a bodie as the fe∣male, neither yet so well esteemed of, but as for the rest, he is almost like the female in plumage. There is no kind of bird that keepeth his pearch more constantly. He abi∣deth with vs in Winter, and is to be seene of vs at all times, contrarie to the fashion of ethers, which keepe not in our countries but in the Summer time. Fa••lconers, when they would make the Lanier a forrester, they put him in a lower roome, so dark, as that he can see nothing, except at such times as he is fed: and likewise they neuer carrie him vpon their fist, but in the night.

And when that he is readie to flie, they make a fire in the chamber for to heat him, that so he may afterward be bathed in pure vvine: and hauing dried him againe, they giue him to feede on, the braines of a Henne: then getting forward before day toward the place vvhere the game is, they cast him off a good way from the place vvhere the Crane is, at such time as it beginneth to be day: and though he take him nor the first day, it is all one, for it will be as good in the daies following, and especially from after mid Iuly, vntill towards the end of October. And yet af∣ter the mue, hee vvill bee better than before: but it is not good in the time of Winter.

Yet to speake truth of the Lanier, he taketh more delight to prey vpon the Par∣tridge, than vpon any other fowle whatsoeuer, because the flight doth not mount much, to vvhich he hath no affection. He is of so strong and good a constitution, that his grease seldome or neuer melteth to his hurt or preiudice: neither is he so foolishly ouer-free of courage, that he will hurt himselfe with too much violence, or paines-taking. Whence it comes, that his owner can seldome ouer-flye him, no, though he flye him sixe or seuen ••lights in a morning: and for this cause hee is called the Schollers Hawke, as being an excellent encourager of young Faulco∣ners, and a bird on vvhich, vvithout danger, they may trie all needefull experi∣ments.

Thus much of the manner of luring and reclaiming of Hawkes, as well in generall as in particular: and yet it remaineth that wee speake a word or two concerning the same matter.

You must vnderstand, that all birds of the prey doe serue to flie either vpon riuers, or else ••n the fields: of which, some flie from the fist, and that without any spare: of this sort is the Goshawke, the Sparrow-hawke, the Gerfaulcon, and the Merlin: The others flie on high, as namely, the Faulcon, the Lanier, the Sacre, and the Hobbie: the one of them is called from the flight, by holding out the fist vnto them, and the other by casting out vnto them the lure, that is to say, an instrument made after the fashion of two fowles wings coupled together, hung at a leash, and at the end thereof a ten∣nise-ball, or crooke of horne: for by these lures the Hawkes are allured, thinking them to be liue Hennes.

This is the destinction of our French Faulconers, yet generally it is not so recei∣ued, for of other Faulconers,* 1.21 hawkes are deuided into these two kinds, long-winged hawkes, and short-winged hawkes: the long-winged hawkes doe properly belong vnto the lure, and ••lie a ••oft, soaring in the aire, and from thence ••••ooping downe and taking their pray: they are vpon their wings long before they either see or are seene of their pray, looking when either the spannyells shall spring the partridge from the ground, or the Faulconer with his poale beate the foule from the riuer: and of this ••or•• is the Eagle, the Gripe, the Gerfaulcon, the Faulcon, the Lanyer, the Hobie, and the Merline, some will intrude the Castrell, which in deed is a long-winged hawke, as touching his shape, but looking into the cowardlinesse of his nature, he is far vnworthie to ranke in their societie. The short-winged hawkes do properlie be∣long to the fist, for from thence euer they flie, and thither also backe they are euer re∣called. They neuer take their wing till they see their pray on wing before them, and then they make a maine after it, and flie it to the marke, where presently they take a tree, hillocke, or some other stand, as neere the place as possibly they can, and there sit till the spannyells come into the retriue: but the long-winged hawke neuer taketh stand at all, but flying about and about grathereth vp againe to her first pitch, and there expecteth the retriue. Now the short-winged hawkes are the Goshawke, the Terssell of the Goshawke, the Sparrow-hawke, and the Mus••••e••, some intrude the bauld Buzzard, and the Ring-tayle, but they as the Castrell are not worthie of the ranke, being naturally cowards, and of faint spirits, not daring to contend where there is any shew of resistance.

Some of them begin not the game, but follow it being begun by the Hawkers,* 1.22 as we haue said of the Eagle. To be briefe, hawks seeme not to differ, saue that all of them do not flie at all kind of birds and foule alike, for in deed euery one of them buckleth himselfe vnto the bird, to the flying whereof hee is giuen and addicted, and not to others. And concerning all sorts of flying and hawking▪ you may find a more ample treatise in the particular description of the nature and properties of euery bird of pray which we haue made.

CHAP. XLV.

The taking of melodious singing Birds.

WE haue spoken of the sport that is made with birds of the pray called hawking, and now wee will enter into some speech of taking of birds, which sing melodiously with sweet and pleasant songs, wherewith the master of the farme may take his recreation and pleasure, by hearing them sing in his closes, parke, low-woods, and high-woods, or in his chamber win∣dow, or else shut vp in some cages or roomes made for the purpose to containe the sub••ect of such pleasure and delightsome melodie. And that we may not omit any thing, before we set downe any manner or way of the particular taking of such birds, we will take a briefe view of the nature, feeding, and diseases of the same, For it were but lost labour to take the birds, if to the end that we may haue their sweet and me∣lodious songs a long time, wee knowe not what meat is good for them, what diseases they are subiect vnto, and what meanes and remedies are necessarie for their distem∣peratures. In the meane time I mind not here to bring in the fabulous histories tou∣ching the originall and breeding of the most part of them, which fantasticall Poets haue inuented. I meane to rest my selfe in this only persuasion, namely that all birdes were miraculously created of God by his almightie power, that is to say, of his own meere will and word, whereby likewise he did create all other creatures in the begin∣ning of the creation of the world.

CHAP. XLVI.

Of the Nightingale.

WE will make our choice of the Nightingale in the first place, which accor∣ding to the iudgement and common consent of euery one, singeth the most sweetly and melodiously of all the rest: she is a bird sufficiently knowne, especially in the countrie of Italy, and is called of the Latins Luscini•• or Philomel••: she maketh he•• nest in the Spring, at such time as the earth in the moneth of May, is all ouer couered, beset and hanged with flowers and pleasant greene, and that in groues and thicke bushes, vpon which the Sunne in the morning doth cast his coole and temperate beames: from noone till Sun-set, she 〈◊〉〈◊〉 the coole places, fountaines, brookes, thicke hedges, and well shadowed places. True it is,* 1.23 that some of them do make their nests vpon the ground, vnder hedges, or amongst the waste grounds: and other some of them make it in a place somewhat raised, as vpon some greene and thicke grasse growne, clod of earth or butte. The number of their egges is vncertaine, for some of them lay foure, and some fiue, and those which nestle in Summer, lay (according to Aristotle his assertion) sometimes sixe or seuen. Now the Nightingale which you would keepe, must bee bred in the Spring; for how much the earlier bird she is, by so much will she become the more perfect, and you may haue better hope and assurance of her longer liuing, and of her being brought vp, and kept with more ease, because that comming (as all are woon••) to mue her feathers, if she bee ouerrun of certaine cattle in August, the cold comming and finding her bare of feathers, causeth her to die, which thing happeneth vnto ma∣ny of those which were bred in Summer. The young Nightingales must not be ta∣ken from their nests, vntill such time as they be feathered, and that they bee almost couered all ouer with the same, that so you may haue the les••e trouble in bringing of them vp,* 1.24 keeping them in a solitarie and by-place: their meate must be the heart of a Weather cleane and old. And you shall make of the fat of the skinne, which co∣uereth the heart, and of certaine sinewes which are within the same, cut and shred small into little pe••ces, meate in manner of wormes, wherewith you shall feed them once euery houre, or more oftner if need require, giuing them at each seuerall time three gobbets: and thus you shall feed them in their nests as long as you can, and af∣ter they be growne vp, you shall put them in cages, made fit with little stickes and pearches, to the end they may begin of themselues to stand vpon their legs: and within the said cages, you must put mosse, hay, or chaffe, whereupon they may rest themselues, if so be they will not sit vpon the pearches, alwaies taking heed to keepe them cleane as much as may be. It will be requisite also, that their cage haue not any light but on one side onely, and for this cause, such as are most carefull, do hang their cage for the space of three whole parts of it with greene cloth. When you know that the Nightingale ca••eth alone, you shall mince her the heart of a Weather very small, after the manner of pie meate, and lay it vpon some small paper, in such pla∣ces, as where you know that she may feed easily, and without any trouble, you shall vse this care and diligence vntill the bird hath go•• the custome to eate alone, not neg∣lecting notwithstanding to giue her sometimes a day as much as a bird carrieth 〈◊〉〈◊〉 her bill to be the surer and for the better: take order likewise least she die, that shee neuer want any of the foresaid meate, and withall that it stinke not, as it falleth out oftentimes in Summer. Besides the heart of the Weather, you may giue her diuers other sorts of meat, as the paste whereof we will speake hereafter for one: or in steed of that paste, take a new egge (for else it might cause some disease to breed in her, and bring her easily to her death) boile it hard, giue her the yelke to eate. It is true, that you must not giue it her oft, or not at all, except it be for want of their meat, because it is giuen to bind them in their bodies, and make them continue. You may likewise

feed them with certaine wormes which are found in a doues nest, or else in old flower of meale: but this must be done as seldome as may be, because that such meate should rather be vnto her as physicke, than ordinarie food, as we shall say hereafter. If shee will not picke vp these meates, she may haue them mingled amongst her meate of a sheepes heart, that so she may learne to feed of whatsoeuer shall be set before her.

CHAP. XLVII.

How Nightingales taken in the moneth of August must be fed, as also those that are taken after they be through growne.

SO soone as you haue taken the Nightingale in August, tie her wings pre∣sently, that so she may not bea••e her selfe in her cage,* 1.25 and by this means shee will grow tame sooner, and more easily, and withall fall to eate, whereas otherwise she will bee hard to tame: for seeing her selfe depri∣ued of her libertie, she becommeth not tame, till of a long time after. You shall shut her vp in a cage couered and wrapt round with paper, not hauing any ••••icke for her to pearch vpon at all: in the meane time haue regard to feed her fiue or sixe times eue∣ry day, and that very handsomely: sometimes lay before her flies, or little wormes, which by their crauling will stir vp the bird to picke them, wherefore for the first time you shall giue her them aliue, whereas afterward you may cut and mince them: the third time you shall begin to feed her with a sheepes heart shred small, mingling amongst the same of the wormes afore mentioned likewise minced and knodden to∣gether, for to accustome her to the said heart. And if you perceiue that the bird doth not feed her ••elfe, neither yet desire or seeke after any thing but wormes, you shall leaue off to giue her them mingled and tempered with the sheepes heart by a little and little, and so offring her such meate as is most easie, you shall woont her to eate of the said heart without any mixture all alone: you may do the like with the paste, if you perceiue that she doth eate it willingly, which thing is easily discerned by any man of iudgement.

CHAP. XLVIII.

To bring vp Nightingales that are taken in March.

IT is true, that the Nightingales which are taken after the first of March vnto the middest of Aprill are very fit to keepe and bring vp.* 1.26 When therefore you haue a Nightingale of this season, you shall put her in a cage well wrapt about with paper, for feare that vpon the ••ight of any man, she should beate her selfe and crie, as also to the end that she may learne to eate alone. For to do this, you shall haue a vessell of glasse like a cuppe without a foote, wherein you shall put seuen or eight small wormes, and set them neere the bird, who seeing them craule within the glasse, will by and by for enuie at them fall of p••••king them, wherefore you shall giue her them quicke for the first time. The second time mince and cut them small: and when you see that she eateth well of such meate, you shall take of a sheepes heart well beat and cut, and mingle it with the said wormes, and making thereof as it were a paste, giue it her to ea••e. But if you perceiue, that in feeding, she chuse to eat of nothing but the wormes, leauing the heart, you shall inde∣uour your selfe to mixe it with all possible care and cunning, that so in eating she may not chuse but eate of both together, that is, both of the wormes and of the heart.

And when she is accustomed to eate of this mixture, you shall by little and little take away the wormes, and feed her only with the heart. Let it not be found strange vnto you to see your Nightingale continue some daies without eating. For the cause why it so falleth out, is, because they are grieued for hauing lost their libertie, and thereupon continue some time without eating or feeding of any thing; some, three daies; others, fi••e or sixe daies; yea, eight or ten daies: whereat you must not maruel, neither yet leaue off to feed them. For there are some old ones, which though they bee hard to feede, become notwithstanding better singing birds than any of the young ones.

If peraduenture the bird will not take any other thing than wormes, giue her a birds bill full foure times a day, and three or foure morsells at a time, and not any more, because of digestion, and when she shall haue accustomed to take the mix∣ture of the heart with the wormes, giue her twice a day onely, that is to say, morning and euening, for to preserue and maintaine her. And this is the order and course that yee shall take.

CHAP. XLIX.

To know if the Nightingale begin to eate of her selfe, and whether she will proue good, or no.

AS soone as the Nightingale beginneth to sing, it is a most certaine token that she eateth likewise alone. There are some which make not any kind of noise or sound for the space of eight daies; others of fifteene: and other∣some continue a whole moneth without singing. If they exceed this time without singing, it is to bee thought, that either they are females, or else that they will neuer be ought wo••th. They giue great hope of prouing perfect birds, which begin to sing quickly, and vse to cate quickly likewise by themselues.

CHAP. L.

How to order a Nightingale which eateth alone, and singeth.

WHen the Nightingale shall eate well by her selfe, and shall sing, you shall take away by little and little the paper wherwith the cage was compas∣sed about, euery day a little, in such sort, as that the bird may not per∣ceiue it, couering the place againe from whence you shall take the pa∣per, with some greene, insomuch, as that all the paper being taken away, and the cage couered againe with greene leaues, you shall by little and little accussome her to see the light. For if that you doe otherwise, you will bee the cause of making her to loose her singing, either for disdaine, or for feare, which will not come to passe, if you order her as hath beene said. Notwithstanding that Elian in the thirteenth booke of his naturall historie ••aith, (following the aduice of Aristotle) That it is hard to bring that bird to singing, which is not taken in her owne nest. Which opinion is found to be most false by ordinarie experience: for very often it is seene, that old Nightin∣gales b••come more perfect and excellent than the other.

CHAP. LI.

How the male Nightingales are knowne from the females.

MEns opinions and iudgements concerning Nightingales (as namely to know of whether sexe they be) are very diuers:* 1.27 for some distinguish the coke from the hen by their grosenesse, saying, that the cocke is the gros∣ser bird: others are of mind that the cocke hath a greater eie: some say, that he hath a reddish taile: all which opinions I haue found to be far wide; for I haue had perfect good Nightingales, and that a great number of them that haue beene very small and little •• as also hens with all those markes which are assigned vn∣to the cockes. Wherefore for a more sure and certaine signe, you shall rest vpon, and trust to that which followeth: That is to say, when you haue a Nightingale taken out of the nest, which shall begin to eate alone, without hauing of it cramd into her, and shall record diuers melodious notes from day to day, contenting herselfe there∣in some time with pleasing and beseeming noises, you may thereby assure your selfe that the same is a male. But vnto this, you shall adde certaine other notes: as namely, her quiet and peaceable abiding in her cage: her standing vpon one leg on∣ly, and to hold on the warbling of her brest, which continuance is not to be found in the hen: more than that, she goeth hopping and whistling vp and downe the cage with a noise and song that is very much interupted and short. I will not denie not∣withstanding, but that sometimes the cocke may bee knowne from the hen by the markes which some haue set downe before: but this is that which I affirme, namely, that some are mightily deceiued by those markes, and that by their singing, the Nightingales taken in August are most certainely and clearely knowne and discer∣ned. And as for those which are taken in March, the knowledge of them resteth, not onely in singing, but also in the lower parts of the sexe which the cockes doe put forth, but the hens doe not, for then is the time that birds do•• couple together. These therefore are the most certaine euident and infallible arguments, whereunto you may trust and betake you selfe.

CHAP. LII.

Of the King of birds, or the little King▪ otherwise called Robin-Redbreast.

YOu shall vnderstand that the little king,* 1.28 or king of birds is naturally very small, of a daintie tractable complexion, he singeth most sweetly, and is not much inferior in this respect vnto the Nightingale. He is oftentimes seene in Winter vpon the tops or roofes of houses, or vpon old ruines on that side that the Sunne shineth, and whereas the wind may least annoy him. He is to be fed in this sort: You must keepe him warme in his nest, giuing him for his meate of a sheepes heart, or of a calues heart minced, in all points as wee haue alreadie said, speaking of the Nightingale. He must be fed with a little atonce, and oft, by reason of his digestion, being carefull that hee take no cold, and especially in the night. For which cause, you shall put him in a cage, which hath some prettie prouision made like a little chamber, trimmed with red cloth, and made as it were a little ho••-house, wherinto he may go, in the night season, and shun the cold all the whole yere. Now when he shall be vsed to be fed, you shall feed him with some heart well beaten, and small minced, & sometimes you shal giue him of the paste that is vsed to be gi∣uen to Nightingales, which will do him no small good. And you shal giue him some∣times

flies to pecke for her greater ioy and speedier taming, and herein you shall vse great diligence.

CHAP. LIII.

Of the Finch.

AMongst the fairest and most beautifull birds,* 1.29 yea, or rather the most beauti∣full of all, is the Finch, being no lesse delightsome to the eie, than pleasant vnto the eare: and yet there is not that account made of her that should, because of the great number of them that is to be found. They ne••••le thrice a yeare, that is to say, in May, Iune, and August. Some are of opinion, that those which are bred in the moneth of August, are the best, and amongst them those which are of the third feather, or which haue mued thrice. Others affect those most which haue their nests amongst the thornes, and haue certaine orange coloured fea∣thers, which I my selfe do not mi••••••ke: but I say further, (that whereas the blacke ones are commonly the pefectest and best birds of all) that there is not any one 〈◊〉〈◊〉 or more perfect than another. It is true that those which breed amongst the thornes, are stouter and stronger birds than the other, and better made to sing. They are vnlike the other, in as much as their feathers are somewhat more gray and darke. The cockes haue a blacke throat, as likewise the shoulders and head blacke, and long and flat. The hens haue their shoulders gray, their throat blacke, and their head round.

CHAP. LIIII.

How the Finch must be fed.

WHen you haue taken the Finch with her nest,* 1.30 you shall feed them in ma∣ner as followeth: you shall first soften in the water of sweet almonds, and afterward chaw very well a little peece of bisket, or of a pan-cake, and you shall make of these two things a paste, and cram into the bird of the 〈◊〉〈◊〉, as shall be needfull. Afterward you shall worke the things aforesaid in a morter together, and hauing tempe••ed them with wa••e, you shall giue them as much as a bird will hold in her bill, with a chickens feather, vpon paine that you make her meate new euery day, least it should grow foure, and spoile the bird. When you haue fed the bird, you shall make a little sticke like a tooth-picke, at the point whereof, you shal tie a little cotton, you shall wet this tooth-picke in water, and with the same, you shall wash the birds bill, that so there cleaue not vnto, or hange thereabout any of the said paste, for causing of apostemes or vlcers, such as wherewith she might be kept from being able to open her bill, and so she would easily die. Now when she be∣ginneth to eate alone, you shall giue vnto her in her little box a little bruised mustard seed, and you shall renew it dayly, least it should become ranke, which would make her die. The same diligence must bee obserued in bringing vp of greene Finches, Canarie-birds, Line••s, Goldfinches, or Silkens, and Spinkes. You must bee carefull when they moute, to aire them and besprinckle them with a little wine, setting them also a little in the Sunne twice a weeke.

CHAP. LV.

How to feed the Spinke.

THe Spinke is a very beautifull and melodious bird,* 1.31 but all Spinks haue not one and the same tunes: for some of them sing after one fashion, and some after another, which needeth not to be further proued; for there is great varietie of them, and they are called after diuers sorts. Some bring them vp after the way, that is vsed in bringing vp of Finches. This bird hath this imperfection, namely, that she easily looseth her sight. Wherefore when you perceiue that she is in the way to grow blind, take of the iuice of bee••s, and min∣gle it with a little water in her water-pot, & that for a day only, that so she may drinke thereof. And furthermore, make her a pearch of fig-tree wood, whereupon, and against which shee may tub her eie, the which will doe her much good: you shall giue her likewise to eate of the seeds of melons, the space of two or three daies, be∣cause they are cooling and wholesome. And if by this meanes, the Spinke do not mend and become better, giue her leaue to take her libertie in the ••ields, for shee will neuer be ought.

CHAP. LVI.

Tor••lieue the diseases of the Finch and Nightingale.

WHen the Finch is in her mue,* 1.32 you shall comfort her, besprinckling her lightly with wine, that so she may mout the sooner, which will be to her further good. And if she happen to haue lice after this sprinkling with wine, set her in the Sunne, and there let her stand vntill such time as she••be drie. Some of them mout in Iune, some in Iuly, and other some in August, ac∣cording to their complexion and heate. And this is the course which they follow which are put into the cage, hauing spent one yeare abroad before, for those which are taken in the neast, doe 〈◊〉〈◊〉 within a moneth that they are put in: and this must be vnderstood in generall of all birds. And therefore to come to the particular: The Nightingale is troubled with fatnesse: and therefore shee must be purged twice a weeke, giuing her two or three vvormes of the Pigeon-house (as vvee haue taught before) for the space of fifteene daies.* 1.33 If she grow melancholike, you shall cut the bladder vvhich is aboue her rumpe, and put into her drinking-pot some Sugar-can∣d••e, and little lumps of paste or sugar, of the bignes of a nut. And if you see that she complaine her selfe of sicknesse, put into her vvater-pot some sixe chyres of Saffron, or thereabout, continuing therewithall to giue her the paste, and sometimes of a Sheepes heart. And if peraduenture shee still grow worse, giue her the yelke of an hard egge, and the vvhite also. Besides, the Nightingale hauing beene two or three yeares in the cage, becommeth gowtie: now when you shall perceiue it, annoint her feet vvith Butter, or else vvith Hennes grease, vvhich is a verie good remedie for to cure her. The Nightingale is likewise subiect to haue apostemes breaking out about her eyes and neb, for vvhich you shall likewise vse Butter and Hennes grease. It is meet also to make ••••ouision for the Nightingale that is leane, vvhen you see necess•••••••• that vvay to require it, giuing her new ••igges to eate in their season, and at other times drie ••igges, vvell chewed: and afterward, you shall bring her vnto her ordinarie diet, and so you shall continue vvith her, to main∣taine and keepe her. There happeneth also vnto the Nightingale another dis∣ease, called the straitnesse or strangling of the breast, vvhich commeth of hauing

eaten some ranke or fat thing, and it is perceiued by the beating and paine before not accustomed, which she abideth in this place, and also by this, that she is giuen of•• to gape and open her bill. This disease commeth also of some sinew or thred of the sheeps heart, which was not minced small enough, and so thereby doth hang in her throat: wherefore you shall very handsomely open her bill, and take it from her with a pinne. You shall know it to bee this disease, when you see in her throat certaine broken or loose ••lesh. Giue her afterward a little Sugar-candie, which shall be a very good remedie for to cure her. In briefe, all such kind of birds as eate sheeps hearts, or the hearts of any other beastes, are subiect to bee troubled with the disease aboue spoken of.

CHAP. LVII.

To know the Canarie-bird from others, and what diseases she is subiect vnto.

YOu shall vnderstand that the Canarie-bird is brought from the Islands called the Canaries, and is of much account amongst vs, because shee both commeth out of a strange countrie, as also because she is a good singing bird. She is knowne from others by this, because she continu∣eth and heaueth the passages of her throate, in singing, more than any other birds doe: besides, she is of a lesse bodie, and hath a longer taile; in so much as the lesser they bee, the perfecter they be. On the contrarie, the great ones which sometimes turne their heads behind them, after the manner of fooles, and for that cause are called fooles, are the worst, and come from the Isles of Palm•• virte. Wher∣fore the nature of the Canari••-bird is not to bee fat, or to maintaine and keepe her flesh well. She is verie subiect vnto Impostumes, which happen vpon her head, and those of a yellow colour, and they must bee annointed with butter or hennes grease about three times: then leauing off to doe any more vnto them, for the space of three daies, you shall then take them in hand againe, and open them gently, whereupon you shall see comming out of them thicke matter, like vnto an egs yelk. Which done, you shall annoint the said Impostumes very well with the foresaid grease, and thus you shall doe as often as they shall returne. This bird is likewise trou∣bled with melancholie sometimes, and then the end of her rumpe would be cut and wrung out very well, giuing her of these herbes, lettuses, beets, and such like. But and if for all these things, you see that the Canarie-bird doth not amend the better; you shall coole her with a little of the seed of melons, giuing it her to eate, and you shall put into her water-pot a little Sugar-candie, twice, or thereabout, and that so much as may endure and l••st one whole weeke: which may be done likewise when shee is in health twice a moneth.

When the Canari••-bird mouteth,* 1.34 giue her of the seeds of melons, and sprinkle her with a little good wine, in such sort as hath beene said in speaking of other birds, and that twise or thrice a weeke, setting her afterward in the Sunne, and by this meanes, you shall make her mout more properly. This course you shall likewise pra∣ctise if she haue lice,* 1.35 to kill the vermine that would wast and consume her, that so she may be preserued.

CHAP. LVIII.

Of the Linnet, and of her diseases.

THe Linnet is a good and melodious bird,* 1.36 euen that which is taken in her nest. Sometimes she wil be melancholicke: she hunteth the mountaines amongst the M••ttle bushes, Boxe-trees, Iuniper-trees, and Bay-trees: she maketh her nest of very small roots, and other matter like vnto fea∣thers. This bird bringeth forth young ones thrice a yeare.* 1.37 She is subiect vnto the dis∣ease called the pthisicke, which may be perceiued by the seeing of her melancholike, and her feathers standing in staring wise, and by her bellie, which then will shew it selfe, somewhat more puffed vp than ordinarie, full of red veines, and her breast leane, and by seeing her spill and pecke mustard-seed. This disease commeth to her by feeding vpon mustard-seed, which is very hot: wherefore it were better to giue her pannicke,* 1.38 or else continuing to giue her mustard-seed, to vse withall this remedie: which is, when you see her troubled with this disease, to cut the end of her ••umpe, and to giue her Sugar-candie, or some other sine sugar to drinke: and for her meate, you shall giue her beets, lettuses, and other such like herbes to eate; as namely, some∣times some mercurie. If you haue vsed to feed her before with mustard-seed, you must giue her pannicke to eate, to coole her withall, or else the seed of melons well husked, and to continue the same meat the space of three daies. Her ordinarie meare must be of the said berbes. B••sides this, you shall put into her c••ge a little earth, and that in such sort, as shall seeme good vnto you: howbeit, it would be best to put their∣in some beaten mortar, or some clay, to the end that feeding vpon it, shee may bee healed.

The Linnet is likewise subiect vnto the straitnesse or conuulsion of the brest, wherefore being oppressed with this disease, you shall feed her with the seeds of me∣lons, and in her water you shal steep some Sugar-candie, or else small mor••els of past. You shall put therein furthermore a little peece of licoras, to the end the water may somewhat ••aste of it; and so you must continue it for the space of fiue daies, one day alwaies betwixt, that is to say, one day, and not the other. Seeing to it, that you giue her a beet leafe, or some other, vpon the day that you shall giue her pure water to drinke. The same remedie will serue to helpe her to her voice againe, i•• the bird were hoarse, for thereby shee shall ••ind her selfe well: notwithstanding that there are but few that escape of the Phthisicke. You shall vse the like remedies for the benefit of other birds, which are found to bee grieued with such diseases, as those are, whereof we will now speake.

CHAP. LIX.

Of diuers infirmities hapning to little cage birds, to∣gether with their remedies.

AMongst other diseases of birds, they are subiect easily to loose their sight, and become blind, if it bee not speedily looked to, and especially the Spinkes. Wherefore, for their better recour••rie before they be quite blind, you shall take beets & draw the iuice out of them, mingling it with a little sugar, & with this licour, you shall make her drinke for the space of three daies, to be taken euery s••cond day, after the maner that we haue spoken of in the behalfe of the linnet. And you shall lay in her cage a sticke of the wood of the fig-tree, in such sort as

that the bird may vse it for a pearch, and rub her eies against it, for the curing of them: which remedie will then be expedient, when you perceiue their eies to begin to shed teares, and their feathers begin to stare and stand vp. When they shall bee troubled with impostumes,* 1.39 you shall vse the same remedies which we haue spoken of in the chap••er of the Canarie bird.

But in as much as it often falleth out, that birds do breake their legs, I haue thought it good to teach you the way to heale them •• you shall giue them their meat in the first place,* 1.40 in the bottome of the cage: secondly, you shall take away their rods and pearches, that so they may not thereby take occasion to be hopping to looke for their meate, and so thereby to labour and stirre their legge, because by stirring thereof, they perish and are spoiled. And this course will likewise serue when any bird hath her thigh broken. And I would aduertise you not to bind or swaddle it after the manner of the world, for so you should cause some impostume to grow in the place where you did bind and tie it. You shall doe that which hath beene said very easi∣ly▪ if you lay her meate in the bottome and lowest part of the cage; all manner of pearching being cut off by the taking away of the rods and stickes which were in it for that purpose, and keeping them in some by-place for feare, that by the hearing of noise, they should beate and shake themselues, letting their legge or thigh which they shall haue broken remaine vntied and vnbound; for nature will heale it, and make it to grow together againe speedily.

CHAP. LX.

The manner how to serue ones turne of birdes, when he would take and catch them, and how to make them sing.

NOtwithstanding that all birds, except the Spinke, do sing in Winter, as by name the Finch, the Linnet, the Miskin, and other such like: there are some found notwithstanding, which being come out of the mue, do giue ouer their singing, because of the said mue. Wherefore from the beginning of May you shall purge them, which you would vse for your purpose, to catch other birds withall, in such maner as followeth. You shall giue them in the first place of the iuice of beetes mingled with a little pure water, and the day following, you shall giue them a leafe of the said herbe. The third day following, you shall keepe them close in the house, setting them vpon the ground, that so they may eate their meate vpon it, for the space of ten daies, withdrawing them by little and little, day after day, from the light, into some obscure and darke place. And when they haue thus pas••ed ouer ten daies, you shall giue them some beets againe, and shut them vp in some square chest in a darke and by-place. At the euening, you shal dresse them with a lamp, so dealing, as that the said birds may see the same light for the space of two houres, during which time, you may make cleane her water-pot, chan∣ging their mustard-seed euery eight day, and giuing them of the leaues of beets eue∣ry fourth day, and euery twentieth day of the iuice therof, especially, vnto the spink, being the most subiect of all others to become blind. And that you may keepe them without lice, you must change their cage euery twentie daies, as also for another rea∣son, which is because of the filth and stench thereof, which might easily kill them. Thus you must still be practising of these courses, vnto the tenth of August, which terme being expired, you shall purge them anew in like manner as before, suffering them by little and little more freely to see the light, vntill the twentieth of the same moneth, taking heed that they come not in the Sunne. Thus they will serue you very well to take and catch birds withall in September and October, and finally in all the rest.

CHAP. LXI.

Of the Misken.

AMongst the little birds of the cage, the Misken* 1.41 is a of cheerefull nature, and singeth sweetly and delightsomely: she is exceeding pleasing vnto the sight. She breedeth thrice a yeare, first about the end of Aprill, a∣mongst the shrubs or hedges of iuie or laurell, secondly, about mid-May, and thirdly and lastly, in the end of ••une: and this is their ordinarie and most com∣mon course; for sometimes they come sooner or latter, more or lesse. Their nests are made of the most ••ine roots of herbs, and oftentimes of the leaues of reeds, according as the place will afford them where they nest.

To seed the Misken taken out of her nest, you shall giue her of a sheepes heart mi••••••ed very small, taking away the fat and sinewes, or else of a calues or heyfers hea••••, taking from it likewise the sinewes and the fat, all the rest being well beaten and shr••••, because of digestion. You shall seed her in her nest oftentimes, giuing her eue∣ry time a mo••••ell or two, and no more, least they should die, by being too much fil∣led. And when you shall perceiue that the Misken will ••ate alone, you shall hang at her cage a little of the said heart minced, not ceasing notwithstanding to feed her, by putting it in her mouth certain times euery day for more as••urednesse. After she hath beene accustomed to eate alone, you may giue her some paste, feeding her therewith∣all onely, not giuing her any more heart, when she shall be accustomed thereto. Fur∣thermore, if you haue any great desire that she should learne some proper songe, take the paines for to teach her, for it is a bird that is very easie to be taught. The Miskens, which are taken in birding, proue better and more perfect than the other. They are woont to continue without singing the space of ten daies after they are taken. You shal feed them, for the space of eight da••es, with new or drie ••igs, and after you shall begin to giue them of the paste which is woont to bee made for the Nightingales, wherof we will speake hereafter: such as are fed with paste do liue longer than those which are fed with nothing but figs.

CHAP. LXII.

Of the solitarie Sparrow.

BY nature the solitari•• Sparrow is giuen to be melancholicke, she loueth by-places, and thereupon commeth her name, because they are very so∣litarie, as namely, the old decayed walls of churches, and other ••••••••ha∣bited places, as being far remoued from the companie of other birds: she 〈◊〉〈◊〉 very iealous ouer her young ones: she maketh her nest in the holes and clefts of old buildings, and breedeth thrice a yeare: first, in Aprill: secondly, in May: and thirdly, in Iune.

If you will bring vp, and take any pleasure by the solitarie Sparrow, which haue taken young in their nests, you must chuse the greatest and biggest, namely such as are well couered with feathers, for else you shal neuer bring them to any proofe.

If peraduenture,* 1.42 when they are growne thus great, they will not open their bils, you shall open them, giuing them as much as a bird will hold in her bill three or foure times. But and if you perceiue that they will eate of themselues, you may put in their trough or meate-boxe, some of the foresaid heart, not giuing ouer notwith∣standing, to put it into their mouthes, vntill such time as they can eate alone. But for such as open their bils, you shall feed them with the said heart, after that you haue

taken off the skinne round about, and the fat also, and that once euerie houre or more, if you heare them crie and see them gape. Put in their cage a little straw or hay, keeping them as neate and cleane as possibly you can; for if you do not, they will be∣come lame, or else die in a small time. Wherefore you shall do as hath beene said, vn∣till they haue mouted, and afterward if you will keepe them in sand, it will be very good: howbeit, I thinke it better to keepe them in hay all the Winter following. And whenas they shall eate of themselues, their meate shall bee sheepes heart small minced, and sometimes of the paste which is woont to be giuen to Nightin∣gales. And sometimes for an extraordinarie dish, you may giue them hard egges, as also raysins.

CHAP. LXIII.

Of the Throstle.

THe Throstle is a bird knowne to euery one,* 1.43 and she is as good to be ea∣ten, as to sing: she maketh her nest in hils full of snow and ice, vpon high trees: it is made of the mosse of the wood mingled with earth, and fashioned of a round forme with singular cunning, in the middest thereof they leaue a hole, to the end that it may not fill with water through long and continuall raine, which might proue to the drowning of her young ones. They breed thrice a yeare, as other birds do, that is, in Aprill, May, and Iune.

The Throstle taken in the nest must be kept and fed in like manner as the solitarie Sparrow,* 1.44 as well whiles they are young and small, as when they become old and great ones. Furthermore, you must know that the Throstle is a great deale more deli∣cate and fine than the solitarie sparrow, and hath tenderer bones. So that to preserue and keepe her aliue, she must bee kept very neate and cleane. See that the Throstle which you would bring vp and keepe, be a great one, and well feathered: for if you chuse her great, and that she begin to eate alone, and to mout, you shall bee the more able to bring her vp, and she will proue the better.

You must note also,* 1.45 that there are three ••orts of Throstles: those which are best to bring vp for singers, are rather the little ones, than the others, and those which are of a browne and darke coloured feather, called in Italian Tordi sasso••i. On the con∣trarie, those which are nothing worth to sing, are much greater, and their feathers of a whiter colour, called by the Italians, Tordelli, which in my iudgement are better for the bellie than the eare.

CHAP. LXIIII.

Of the Calander, Coridale, and Larke.

COncerning the nature of the Calander,* 1.46 it is knowne by the effects, for she is hard to tame, if she be not taken in the nest: she wil be so vexed some∣times as is maruellous, and a thing almost incredible, for being carried from one place to another; and in this vexation, she will continue a whole moneth without singing: yea there haue some bin seene which did neuer sing againe after, except they were brought backe to their accustomed place.

The Larke, notwithstanding that she is disdainefull, doth not forsake her singing in such cases, aboue two or three daies, as doth in like maner the Coirdale. These birds make their nests vpon the ground, and in meadowes, and sometimes amongst the corne. Their nests are made of the drie roots of herbs, and they breed thrice a yeare:

first in the beginning of May, then in the beginnig of Iune, and lastly about mid Iu∣ly. Notwithstanding they differ herein sometimes, according to the season and time, as do all others.

These three sorts of birds, as they are of one and the same nature, so they are fed and eate after one manner. For their ordinarie meate and feeding shall be no other than that we haue said to be good for the other birds: namely, the heart of a sheepe beaten and minced very small. If they eate not alone, you shall feed them very dili∣gently in their nests, according as you shall see it needfull. Looke to it, that they con∣tinue not too long in their nests, for feare they should become lame. But after certaine daies put them in their cage strawed with sand, and there leaue them day and night. Being accustomed to eate alone, you shall giue them heart mingled with the graine, called of the Latines Far, or else with paste which is made for Nightingales, and therewith you shall feed them, till they become great ones, and stand vpon their feet. Afterward you shall scatter some of the aforesaid corne called Far, amongst the sand of the cage, to the end that the birdes may learne to know of themselues, the said corne amongst the sand, and to pecke it now and then, continuing notwithstanding to feed them, and to put into their mouthes of sheepes heart, according to your for∣mer custome. But when these birds begin to mout, you may giue them hemp-••eed, spelt, and the ••i••tings of corne. You shall also, put into their cages a peece of drie morter, or else of the pu••••ice stone, or of clay, whereupon the birds may sharpen and rub their bills, which is very apt to grow blunt with pecking: and to the end that they mae eate some of it also sometimes; for it is a thing that doth them much good, and serueth for to purge them.

CHAP. LXV.

To make the paste which the Nightingales eate, being likewise good for the solitarie Sparrow, Miskins, Blacke-birds, Throstles, and many other birds.

PAste for the said birds (whereof we haue made mention before) must be made after this manner: take the meale of white Cich-pease, and boult it diligently with a boulter, as is vsed to be done with wheat meale, and in such quantitie, as you shall see to be needfull. For example: Let the quantitie of meale bee two poundes, with one pound of sweet almonds chosen and husked, which afterward you shall ••ake and stampe very well, in such sort as is vsed when paste for march-paines is to be made. Herewithall, you must haue three ounces of fresh butter, which butter you shal put into a copper vessel tinned, and mixe ther∣withall the said flower and almonds together. After that you haue done this, you shal set the said vessell vpon charcole fire, that so it may not smell of smoake, s••i••••ring it diligently whiles it is vpon the sire, with a wooden spoone, that so it may bo••le by little and little, putting thereto the yelkes of two egs, and a little saffron: when you perceiue the butter to begin to melt, you shall furthermore drop into it of liquid ho∣nie, so much as shall serue for the incorporating of the paste, and bringing of it into cornes, still continuing to stir it with a spoone, ••or feare the fire should make it burne too. When you haue thus done, you shall take a Colander made with such holes, as will let passe so much at once, as the birds (for which you make it) will eate. And when the paste is thus strained through the Colander, and the cornes made in such quantitie, and qualitie, as is requisite for the necessitie of the birdes, you shall take the past which could not passe through the said Colander, so far forth as that the whole may come to be of a iust consistence. And for the keeping of it, you must poure honie aboue, handling and stirring of it cunningly, and so you shall be stored of pro∣uision for sixe moneths.

CHAP. LXVI.

The way to know many and sundrie maladies which doe happen vnto birds.

IT is apparant, that the diseases of birds are diuers, and the diuersitie thereof causeth diuers effects, and diuers signes, vvhich lying hidden, the disease continueth vnknowne, and so there is no administring of any thing, in as much as it is not knowne, whence it commeth, that they are in that case, nor what disease it is, nor what medicine or remedie is good or conueni∣ent for the curing thereof. Wherefore it is necessarily required, that there should be good regard giuen vnto the outward signes, by them to know the mischiefe that lurketh vvithin, and that no les••e in the behalfe of birds, than generally of all other creatures. Wherefore I haue endeuoured my selfe, briefely to collect and gather into this Chapter, vvhatsoeuer hath beene deliuered scatteringly and diffusedly elsewhere, in the touching of the infirmities and diseases that are incident vnto birds, and of the knowledge thereof; for the benefit and instruction of such as would know the diseases whereunto such birds as they delight in, and loue to keepe, are sub••ect.

Birds therefore are subiect,* 1.47 amongst other diseases, vnto impostumes, vvhich doe happen vnto them, and appeare in the head of a yellow colour, as great as a Hemp-seed▪ yea, sometimes as bigge as a Pease: a disease commonly haunting all birds, e∣specially those which are of a hot complexion.

Another kind of disease with which birds are troubled,* 1.48 is called the subtle disease, Pthisis: for the bird that is troubled with this disease, swelle••h in her bodie, as hauing it euerie where beset with veines full of bloud, the breast notwithstanding being thin and leane: and furthermore, the bird so diseased, doth nothing but take, ••ast away, or ouer-turne her meat and Hempe-seed.

The gow•• is another sort of disease common vnto birds,* 1.49 and vexing them ••ore: for when as they are diseased thereof, they can neither stirre nor stand, because of the paine they doe endure. This disease is knowne by the roughnesse of their legges and feet.

The difficultie of breathing,* 1.50 or hard drawing of their breath, troubleth them al∣so: and it is knowne by their hoar••enes••e, so as that they cannot vtter their t••nes: or if they doe, yet very h••rshly and imperfectly: or else by their not saying any thing at all. You shall lay your hand vpon her breast, and by that also you shall perceiue it: for you shall feele an extraordinarie beating, as shewing it selfe to come from some oppression and great difficultie: by all which you may gather for certaine, that she is infected with this disease.

Oftentimes it likewise commeth to passe,* 1.51 that they crie and cast forth lamentable noises, complaining themselues, vvhich declareth euidently, that they haue the disease called Asthma, or shortnesse of breath.

Birds also oftentimes fall blind:* 1.52 vvhich, if it be not quickly helped, they vvill neuer be cured: and this disease is perceiued by the trickling of teares from their eyes, and by certaine feathers about their eyes, vvhich doe curle and crooke by tur∣ning in againe.

The falling sicknesse is likewise incident vnto birds:* 1.53 vvhereof they are scarce euer cured: for there is no other remedie for it, but to keepe the bird vvhich you bring vp, from the Sunne in Summer: if she escape the first time, you must cut the nailes of her feet, and besprinkle her well with good wine: purge her oft.

Some say,* 1.54 That birds are subiect to the disease called the Pip: vvhich is false: for the disease which they call the Pip, is not the Pip in effect, but another disease, which

groweth in the bills of birds, for which it is good to vse this remedie: Take the seed of Melons, and steeping them in pure water, make them to drinke thereof three or foure daies, and perceiuing the bird to grow better, you shall giue her a little fine Su∣gar, tempered likewise with sugred water.

It is hard to know when the bird hath the disease of the rumpe:* 1.55 and for my part I cannot tell how to giue you a better signe thereof, than her growing melancholike, as by surceasing and abstaining to sing. The remedie is, to cut away halfe of the sharpe point which she hath there, for you shall not deuise to do her so great good any other waies. This is a griefe which all birds are troubled withall, euen those that are kept in the cage.

Besides the diseases before named, birds haue sometimes the flux of the b••lly* 1.56 which is known, by their making of their dung more thinne and liquid than ordinarily they were wont, by the beating of their taile, and in that they keepe it close and neere to∣gether. The remedie is, to cut the feathers of their taile, and those also which are a∣bout the fundament, annointing it with a little oyle: And in stead of Hempe-seed, you shall giue her the seedes of Melons for the space of two daies. But and if these be birds which vse not to eate any Hempe-seed, but heart, or paste, deferre not to take it from her, and in place thereof to giue her hard rosted egges, in such sort as we haue said before.

CHAP. LXVII.

Of the diseases that happen particularly to euerie particular sort of birds.

AS concerning old Nightingales of the cage,* 1.57 they are subiect vnto gowts and conuulsions in the breast: vnto which diseases the solitarie Spar∣row is also subiect, besides the falling sicknesse, or giddinesse of the head.

The Linnet is troubled with the subtile, or close and secret disease, more than any other bird,* 1.58 as also with hot apostemes, conuulsions, and gowts.

The Finch is wont to haue impostumes,* 1.59 and the subtile disease.

The Siskin,* 1.60 on the contrarie, is not to subiect vnto diseases, both because she is of a better complexion, as also of more strength. And this is the cause likewise why she seldome times falleth blind.

The Spinke* 1.61 is more subiect to blindnesse than all the rest: and when she is once ouer-runne of this disease, she is no more worth any thing, for she will euer and anon fall into it againe of set purpose.

Two only diseases doe voluntarily molest the Goldfinch,* 1.62 that is, the subtile disease, caused through old age, and impostumes, proceeding of the eating of Hemp-seed.

The same two diseases we find to befall the Canarie bird of Spaine:* 1.63 howbeit, the subtile disease is seldome times found to trouble her: she is also subiect to the conuul∣sion and oppression of the breast, because of her excessiue naturall heat. The Miskin is more subiect vnto the gowt than any bird that is. The solitarie Sparrow is haunted with impostumes and melancholie, which causeth her often to die. The Corydale* 1.64 fal∣leth blind sometimes, and sometimes she is troubled with the subtile disease. A•• it also happeneth vnto the other kind of Lark,* 1.65 which hath no crest vpon her head. The Ca∣lander* 1.66 likewise is subiect vnto the subtile disease, apostemes, gowts: and that which is worse, namely, to become quickly blind. The bird, called in Latine Thraupis, is like∣wise very subiect vnto impostumes, and oftentimes dieth of fat. The strongest and stoutest bird that can be, is the Blacke-bird,* 1.67 wherein I cannot find any disease to kill her, except old age, which is the common maladie deuouring all mortall things. Fat

and impostumes doe sometimes hurt the Throstle, as also the disease of the rumpe, which is likewise common to all birds that are kept in the cage.* 1.68

CHAP. LXVIII.

Birds are to be purged, at what time, and how oft in the yere.

NIghtingales and all other kind of birds which eate heart and paste, must be purged at the least once euery moneth with two or three wormes out of the pigeon house euery time: two daies after, put into her water-pot the quantitie of a nut, of sine sugar, and when her voice faileth her, you must put into the said water, some licoras, as namely, so much as may giue some taste to the water, and this will cleere her voice very exceedingly. The foresaid purgation is very needfull when they are about to moute. The cage must neuer be without earth or sand. She must be sprinkled ouer with wine at the least twice a week, to further her in her mouting, and for the better preseruing of her life, setting her afterward in the Sunne, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 she be almost drie: the like course must be taken when she is troubled with li••e: and if you giue her any drie figs, they will much reioice her.

CHAP. LXIX.

To purge birds that feed vpon Hempe-seed.

BIrds that eate Hempe-seede, shal take for to purge them the seedes of me∣lons husked, and herbes (as you shall thinke good) namely Succorie, Beets, Lettuses, Scariole, and Mercury, which is principally good for the Linnet, but giue them what herbs you please; for they are very good to 〈…〉〈…〉 to purge them: yea, and though they haue no need to be purged, yet you 〈◊〉〈◊〉 not cease continually to be giuing of them some, giuing then furthermore, amongst▪ either earth or drie mort•••• in their cage, to the end they may eate of it, or dust themselues in it at their pleasure and conuenient time, which is very wholesome for them: and likewise you must giue them some Sugar, as you haue beene taught be∣fore. You shall perceiue when the bird would moute by the feathers in her cage, and then you shall besprinkle her lightly with wine, as wee haue already spoken before. Some birds mout in the end of Iulie, and others in the end of August. Those which are taken in the nest begin to mout as soone as they be bred, and their mouting conti∣nueth a moneth. You shall besprinkle them with wine at the least twice a weeke, to cause them to mout the sooner.

CHAP. LXX.

To know how long the birds liue.

IF any man desire to know how long these birds liue, let him know that amongst Nightingales, some liue three yeares, some fiue, and others vn∣to eight, and sing vntill that time, but from that time forward they are not any longer in perfection, but decline by little and little. It hath bin seene that Nightingales haue liued till they haue been fifteene yeres old, and continu∣ed singing euery day les••e or more, so that it may seeme that they liue according to the good ordering which they haue, or else according to their good complexion.

The Miskins being subiect to the gowt, doe liue but a short time, as three or foure yeares at the most.* 1.69 The solitarie Sparrowes liue in good state and account for the space of fiue yeares: many of them die of the subtile disease, some of impos••umes, others of gowts, and some young ones of the falling sicknesse. Finches liue tenne, yea, fifteene, and twentie yeares, more or lesse, according vnto their complexion: and they are alwaies in good plight, singing vnto the last day of their life. The Linnet is short-liued,* 1.70 because she is subiect vnto the subtile disease: some liue two yeares, some three, and some fiue, according to their manner of ordering and gouer∣ning. The Siskins liue, some fiue, others eight yeares, by reason of their good com∣plexion, and because they are not so subiect vnto diseases as other birds. The Spinke liueth but a short time, because they are subiect to blindnes••e: some liue one yeare, some two, others till foure: many of them die of the falling sicknesse, because they haue beene set forth into the Sunne in the Summer time, vvhereby the heat hath searched and penetrated into their braine. The Calanders, Corydales, and Larkes,* 1.71 liue alike long, the one sort and the other, as three or fiue yeares. Some Calanders doe liue longer than the Corydales: but she groweth melancholie, being remoued out of one place into another. The Canarie bird liueth long, as fiue, tenne, and fif∣teene yeares:* 1.72 yea, there haue some beene seene to liue twentie yeares, continuing al∣waies good. The Thraupis is of the continuance of six yeares, or thereabout, accor∣ding as she is kept better or worse. It is a bird that is not much regarded: for her sin∣ging is but irkesome and tedious; some take pleasure in it, and some doe not.

CHAP. LXXI.

The manner of taking small birds, as well those which sing, as those which are for to eat: as also all other sorts of small birds.

TO take birds with the voice of some leafe,* 1.73 knife, or such other like thing, a man must stand in a bush, shadowing himselfe with the leaues there∣of, and with a whistle make a noise or crie, counterfeiting some bird that hath beene taken before, or is then taken. Some take a Sparrow, being kept somewhat neere, and held in a snare, and make her crie, pinching together her wings or legges, and then the birds will flocke about her to aid her, thinking, that the Owle hath caught her: and hauing set lime-twigges or lime-bushes vpon the branches of the trees, the birds that shall come to succour her, and lighting, will be limed.

To take Spinkes as they are going,* 1.74 that is to say, in the place where many Spinkes are wont to passe, you must enuiron their trees (after they haue beene cut and planted in a plaine ground, one distant from another some small distance, as three foot, or thereabout) with leaues below, as if it were a lodge, and amongst them lay a coard, made fast vnto a bough, and carried vp on the other side with some prop: this shall be held by a man placed a good way off, and on the said bough shall be hanged and made fast two or three Spinkes: then you must set the said trees verie choicely and thinne with lime-twigges, and some distance off from thence, two or three cages, wherein there shall be some Spinkes, for to call to such flocks as shall come flying that way, which perceiuing those in the cages, as also those which are hanged vpon the sticke, will li••e themselues on the trees.

To take Pattridges with the Tonnell,* 1.75 or Tombrell, there must a man be placed behind a Cow or a Horse, of wood, or of o••••er, painted in such sort, as that it may re∣semble the fashion of a Cow or a Horse, and in the meane time hee shall ouer-cast the nets vpon the Partridges. This kind of taking of Partridges is now adaies forbidden.

To take Partridges and Woodcocks in the night with fire, you must light a match of old drie vvoollen clouts,* 1.76 dipt in melted tallow, wrapping them vp afterward toge∣ther in forme of a torch, as thicke as ones arme, and of the length of a foot: then you must astonish and amaze the Partridges in such sort, as that they may cast themselues into the nets, vvherewith they shall be beset and compassed.

To take birds with your hand,* 1.77 you must scatter, in some plaine and smooth piece of ground, Corne or Millet, steept in the lees of good vvine, and the iuice of Hemlock, and afterward drie them, whereof when the birds shall haue eaten, they will not be able to flie afterward, so that one may take them with his hand.

To kill birds with the Long-bow,* 1.78 or Stone-bow, vpon houses, trees, or butts, it is requisite, that he that shooteth, should haue double shafts, forked before, vvhen hee vvould kill Geese, or other great birds, and those verie sharpe euerie vvhere, to the end they may cut off the vving, or the necke, vvhere they shall touch them: for to strike them vvith the common shaft, vvould not so hurt the bird, as that she might be constrained to abide in the place, for shee vvould flie away, notwithstanding that she vvere hurt or shot through, although shee vvould die thereof in another place.

Notes

• * 1.1

  ••••purge the ••••d.
• * 1.2

  ••cause her to 〈◊〉〈◊〉 out.
• * 1.3

  〈◊〉〈◊〉 declaring 〈◊〉〈◊〉 birds of the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 to be sick.
• * 1.4

  The G••ipe.
• * 1.5

  The Sparrow-hawke and the Goshawke.
• * 1.6

  The Goshawke more worthie than the Spar∣row-hawke.
• * 1.7

  Differences and ••ualities be∣tweene the Ra∣••nage or Braun∣cher hawks and ••he Iias hawks.
• * 1.8

  How to enter your Sparrow-hawke.
• * 1.9

  The diseases of the Sparrow-hawke.
• * 1.10

  〈…〉〈…〉.
• * 1.11

  〈…〉〈…〉.
• * 1.12

  The vse of th•• Hobbie.
• * 1.13

  ••he Merlin.
• * 1.14

  〈◊〉〈◊〉 Merlins.
• * 1.15

  The Irish Mer∣••in.
• * 1.16

  The G••rf••ulcon
• * 1.17

  Of 〈◊〉〈◊〉 the w••••te•••• the best.
• * 1.18

  How to k••••ps vse the Ger∣faulcon
• * 1.19

  The Sacre.
• * 1.20

  Lan••er.
• * 1.21

  Which be called long-win••ed hawks, and which be called short-w••nged hawks.
• * 1.22

  To lure.
• * 1.23

  •• Nightingale •• nest.
• * 1.24

  ••teat ••or the ••ightingale.
• * 1.25

  The mann••r of the k••eping of the Nightingale taken in August
• * 1.26

  To bring vp Nightingales taken in March
• * 1.27

  Nightingales male and fe∣male.
• * 1.28

  The king of b••rds.
• * 1.29

  Fi••••h.
• * 1.30

  〈…〉〈…〉.
• * 1.31

  What 〈◊〉〈◊〉 the Spinke must 〈◊〉〈◊〉.
• * 1.32

  The Finch 〈◊〉〈◊〉
• * 1.33

  〈…〉〈…〉
• * 1.34

  The Canarie-••bird 〈…〉〈…〉
• * 1.35

  The Canary∣bird ha••ing 〈◊〉〈◊〉.
• * 1.36

  The Linnet.
• * 1.37

  〈…〉〈…〉.
• * 1.38

  〈…〉〈…〉.
• * 1.39

  〈…〉〈…〉
• * 1.40

  〈…〉〈…〉.
• * 1.41

  The Mis••••n.
• * 1.42

  〈…〉〈…〉.
• * 1.43

  〈…〉〈…〉.
• * 1.44

  〈…〉〈…〉.
• * 1.45

  〈…〉〈…〉.
• * 1.46

  〈◊〉〈◊〉 Calander. •• Cor••dale. •• Larke.
• * 1.47

  〈◊〉〈◊〉.
• * 1.48

  〈…〉〈…〉.
• * 1.49

  〈…〉〈…〉.
• * 1.50

  〈…〉〈…〉
• * 1.51

  〈…〉〈…〉
• * 1.52

  〈◊〉〈◊〉.
• * 1.53

  〈…〉〈…〉
• * 1.54

  〈…〉〈…〉
• * 1.55

  The disease of the rumpe.
• * 1.56

  The flux of the bellie.
• * 1.57

  The dise••s•••• proper to the Nightingale, and to these birds following.
• * 1.58

  Linne••.
• * 1.59

  Finch.
• * 1.60

  Siskin.
• * 1.61

  Spinke.
• * 1.62

  Goldfinch.
• * 1.63

  Canari•• bird.
• * 1.64

  Corydale.
• * 1.65

  L••rke.
• * 1.66

  Calander.
• * 1.67

  Black-bird.
• * 1.68

  〈◊〉〈◊〉
• * 1.69

  The life of the Miskin, the solitarie Spar∣row, and the fi••ch.
• * 1.70

  The l••fe of the Linne••, the S••kin, and the Spinke.
• * 1.71

  The l••fe of the Calander, Corydale, and Larke.
• * 1.72

  The life of the Canarie bird, and of the Thra••pis.
• * 1.73

  To take birds with a chirp or ••all,
• * 1.74

  To take birds as they are ••eeding, or going.
• * 1.75

  To take birds with the Tonnell.
• * 1.76

  take birds 〈◊〉〈◊〉 fire.
• * 1.77

  take birds 〈◊〉〈◊〉 the hand.
• * 1.78

  〈◊〉〈◊〉 take birds 〈◊〉〈◊〉 the long 〈◊〉〈◊〉.