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ALbeit there bee a generall rule, that (contraria contrari∣es dinos••unter) which is that one contrarie is knowne suf∣ficiently by the other, & therfore hauing made you full shew of the good shape of Goshawkes, the ill proportion wil easily ther∣by fall out, & be discerned of it self without any further trauell, yet neuerthelesse following mine Author, I think it not amisse to dicypher you the ill forme of a Goshawke: which is to haue
a great head, a short necke, to be thick and grosse plumed, soft fleshed, short thighed, long armed, short tallons, tawnie hew∣ed, tending to blacke, and hard and rough vnder the foote.
A Goshawke that when she is loose in the house, flees as though she were at large and liberty, breaking out of a mew, hauing great grosse feathers, eyes as red as blood, that is e∣uermore baiting, and being set on the pearch, offereth to flée at the face of a man, such a Hawke if shée be kept low in flesh cannot be borne on the fist; if shée bée hie and full of flesh, shée will not then abide with her kéeper, but rangle & gad: where∣fore of such Hawkes, there is no account to be made at all.
A fearefull Goshawke is hardly to be reclaimed and man∣ned, for the feare shee hath, will alwaies cause her to refuse the fist and lure, and make her checke, and not willingly re∣payre to any deuise wherewith shée is called and rappeld, af∣ter her flight, which is a very great inconuenience in a Gos∣hawke, and no small hinderance to the sport of him that shall happen to haue such a fearefull Hawke: for commonly vn∣lesse they be first fond of the kéeper, and in loue with the call, they will not flée their game to the liking of their owner; and the tediousnes in comming by them againe after the flight, doth bréed forgetfulnesse of the pastime, how good and delecta∣ble soeuer it were before.
That Goshawke that hath pendant plumes ouer her eyes, and (as they say in the Country) whose feathers hang in her light, the white of whose eye is very watrish and blanck, that is red maild, or bright tawnie, hath the most assured token that may be of ill conditions, and is not like to bée well com∣ming. But if happely such a Hawke fall once to bée good, shée will then proue a passing Hawke.
Sometimes (though very seldome) do wée sée a Goshawke of bad shake, and in condition cleane contrary to those signes that ought to bée lookt for in a good Goshawke, proue light, lusty, able to hold out and mainetaine her flight, and such a one as will very well slay the greater sort of fowles.
The Goshawkes prey is the Fresant, the Mallard, the wild
Goose, the Hare, and Conie,: besides all which, she will strike ventrously, and seaze on a Kidde or Goat, and keepe him play so long, as the dogs at length shall come in to assist her and further the fall of it, which doth manifestly decipher the great inestimable courage and valour of the Hawke.