The booke of falconrie or havvking for the onely delight and pleasure of all noblemen and gentlemen : collected out of the best authors, aswell Italians as Frenchmen, and some English practises withall concerning falconrie / heretofore published by George Turbervile, Gentleman.

Of misfortunes that happen to Hawkes in the mew. And first of all, of their laying egges in the mew.

IN the mew hawks are subiect to sundry accidents. Among all which (to passe ouer the greasines and excessiue glit that they are surcharged withal, hauing som what touch•• that mat∣ter in the Chapter of the Gowt) the greatest mishap that may be, is when hawkes fall to laying egges, and to be with egge in the mew. For in very déed this is a great mischiefe, and diuers times doth kill the Hawke,

You shall first perceiue it by the creaking and crying that they vse in the mew somtimes, and other whiles on the perth, albeit now and then they dee it for eagernesse and appetite, when they are sharpe set: which as it is easily found, so is it as quickly remedied.

A man shall know when they fall to liking and laying, by this, from the necke of the hawke down to the very middle of

her traine, there is vpon the feather a certaine thing like the floure of branne of a pale and ashie colour.

And because this accident hapneth by meane of too much daintinesse and lustfull pride of the Hawke, it shall bee good to kéepe her low, and to hold a hard hand ouer her, pinching her of her féeding, giuing her liquid and moist flesh from the midle of Aprill to the end of May, which is the onely tune to be fea∣red of all the yeare for this matter. When the hawk doth leaue her croaking and crying in the mew, it is a manifest proofe that shée is with Egge, which you shall know both by her grosenes and silling in the panell, as also by her idle standing without list to féede. And it hahpily the egges bée growne any thing great within her, you shall hardly hinder her but that shée wil lay them. Therefore (as I tell yon) it shall bée good in time to looke vnto it, kéeping her low in Aprill and May. And in those monethes to minister vnto her Aloes Epatick washt, a quan∣tity of Saffron lapped in bumbast or cotton, whereupon con∣uey a little Flaxe or Towe, and make a casting or scowring of it, thrusting it downe her throat into her gorge, the hawke be∣ing both empty paneld, and hauing no meate aboue to put ouer kooping her on the fist after it, till such time the scowring be in her gorge. Of this and such like scowrings may you giue your hawke euery third or fourth day for foure or fiue times, féeding her with liquid meates, such as will lightly be endewed. And vsing this order, no doubt your hawke shall doe well.

Againe, it is very good against the same mischiefe, to cause your Hawke in foure or fiue bits of meat, to take a quantity of Saffron in Chiues, vsing her after the manner and forme aforesaid.

Moreouer, it is a very good way to delay and kill the list and liking of a sparowhawke to féede her for thrée, foure, or more dayes if you thinke good with liquid meates washt in water, wherein the great pylles of Ornus haue béene infused for the space of eight or ten dayes béeing finely cut to péeces. But it should be far better if you cause those rinds & pilles to be boiled in water, so long vntill they become soft and tender, and then

to wash your hawkes meat therein.

If your Hawke be with Egge (as they tearme it) so as you may perceiue and féele the egs within her, besides those fore∣said remedies, it shall bée good to annoint her tuell with oyle oliue: which being done, conuey in thy forefinger at her tuell, as finely as thou canst, to féele the egs, which if thou once féele gripe thy hawkes pannel softly for hurting her, forcing down∣wards the eg towards thy finger in her tuell, & if it be possible so bring it away cleane, & rid thy hawke of it: but if thou canst not doe it, breake it euen there right, and afterward bestow a glister vpon thy hawke of things lenitiue, to make her mewt and slise well: for by this meane (as my Italian Author doth informe me) thou shalt discharge thy hawke of this mischiefe, and bring her to be in perfect state againe.