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I Can not make as yet any iust report howe many sortes of Hawkes are bredde wyth∣in this realme. Howbeit which of those that are vsually had amongest vs are disclosed with this lande, I thincke it more easie and lesse difficulte to set downe. First of all ther∣fore that we haue the Eagle, common expe∣rience
doth euidently confirmed and diuers of our rockes whereon they brede, yf speach did serue, could wel testifie the same. But the most excellent •…•…ry of all is not much from Chester at a castle called D•…•…s Br•…•…n▪ some∣time buylded by Brennuis, as our writters do coniecture. Certes this castell is no great thing, but yet a pyle very strong and in ac∣cessible for enemyes, though nowe all rui∣nous as many other are. It standeth vpon a harde rocke in the side whereof an Eagle bréedeth euery yeare. Certes this is notable in the ouerthrow of hir neast (a thing oft at∣tempted) that he which goeth thither must be sure of two large baskets, and so prouide to be let downe thereto, that he may sitte in the one and be couered with the other: for other∣wyse the Egle would kill hym and teare the fleshe from his bones with their sharpe ta∣lons though his apparell were neuer so good. Next vnto ye Egle we haue the Irō or Erne (as the Scottes doe write) who call the E∣gle by ye name. Certes it is a Rauenous bird & not much inferiour to the Egle in déede. For though they be black of colour & some∣what lesse of bodie, yet such is their great∣nesse that they are brought by diuers into sundrie partes of this realme and shewed as Egles onely for hope of •…•…aine, which is got∣ten by the sight of thē. Their chiefe bréeding is in the West country, where the commons complaine of great harme to be done by thē in their fieldes, for they are able to beare a yong lambe or kidde vnto their neastes, ther∣with to feede their yong and come againe for more. Some call thē Gripes. We haue also the Lanner & the Lanneret: the Tercell and the Gosehawke: the Musket and the Spar∣hawke: the Iacke and the Hobby: and final∣lye some though very fewe Marlions. And these are all the Hawkes that I doe here to be bredde within this Islande. Howbeit as these are not wanting with vs, so are they not very plentifull: wherfore such as delite in Hawking doe make their chiefe prouision for the same out of Danske, Germany, and the Eastcountries, from whence w•…•… haue thē in great aboundaunce & at excessiue prices, whereas at home and where they be bredde they are solde for almost right •…•…ght and vsually brought to the markets as chickins, pullets and Pigeons are with vs, and there bought vp to be eaten (as we doe the afore∣sayde foules) almost of euery man. But to procede with ye rest. Other rauenous birdes we haue also in very great plentye, as the Bussarde, the Kite, the Ringtaile Di•…•…te, and such as often annoye oure Countrie dames by spoyling of their yong broodes of chickins, Duckes and G•…•…in•…•… wherevn∣to our very 〈◊〉〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉〈◊〉 and Cr•…•…wes haue lear∣ned also the way: and so much are 〈◊〉〈◊〉 rauēs giuen to this kinde of sp•…•…yle that some of set purpose haue 〈…〉〈…〉 and vsed there in stéede of Hawkes, when other could 〈…〉〈…〉 had. I haue séene Crowes so cunning also of theyr owne selues that they haue vsed to 〈…〉〈…〉 great riuers (as the Thames for example) & sodenly comming downe haue caught a small fishe in their féete and gone away withall wtout wetting of their wings. And euen at this present the aforesayde ry∣u•…•…r is not without some of them, a thing in my opiniō not a litle to be wondred at. There is no cause wherfore I shoulde describe the Cormorant amōgst Hawkes (except I shold call him a Water Hawke) but sith such dea∣ling is not conuenient, let vs nowe sée what may be sayde of our venemous Wormes, & how many kindes we haue of them within our realme and countrie.