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 Accidents that happen and light vppon a hawkes feathers, and first how to vse the matter when a feather cannot bee ymped.

DIuers and sundry times it so fals out that a Hawkes feather being drawn out of the wing or traine by vio∣lence and force, the hole closes vp, and shuts after it presently, in such sorte as a new feather can by no meanes grow and spring vppe in the place to serue the hawkes turne and vse a∣gaine.

For remedie hereof, some doe will a man to make the hole againe where it was before, and to open it a fresh with a bar∣ley graine, dryed so as it bée not burnt. Then after that, to kéepe it open that it runne not together againe, you must frame a small Pellette of Larde, or boyled Ho∣ny, which béeing conueyed into the hole, will there abide, vntill such time as the shooting out of the new feather doe re∣moue it and displace it.

Some other time it hapneth a feather to bée broken in the quill so néere the wing, as it is not possible to ympe it againe:

then doe they vse, (to make the quill to fall and droppe away without paine to the hawke) this deuise. They annoynt the place with the bloud of a young Rat, which will cause the broken quill to come away. After which, to kéep the hole open they vse the helpe aforesaid with the barly corne.

These two cures I neuer tryed, because it was neuer my happe (I thanke fortune) to stand néedfull of the practise. But truely I like neither of them so well, as I can greatly com∣mend them.

Otherwise it chanceth through the hurt of a Hawkes wing, that one or two of her Flagges, long feathers, or Sar∣celles are bruised, and thereby both put her to great paines, and eake hinder her fléeing. Wherefore it shall bée in this case very necessary, as soone as it hapneth to looke and view the wing well, whether there be any bloud much or little in the quill that is bruised in manner aforesaid: which if it be so, it shal be needfull to pierce it with a sharpe néedle, or such like instru∣ment to giue the bloud issue before such time as it bée congea∣led and waxen hard. And after that to annoint the bruise, (and especially where the blacke bloud is) witholde larde and resty Bacon.

Moreouer, it shall be very good to cease the paine, to poure vpon the hurt place thrée or foure droppes of good Oyle of ro∣ses somewhat hote, which hauing vsed for the space of three or foure dayes, it shall not be amisse to bath it with Aqua vita to drie and resolue it. If you vse this meane in the begin∣ning when the hurt is first taken, no doubt it will bréede re∣solution.

But if by negligence or otherwise it be foreslacked at first, so as the bruised Sarcell or other feather grow out of order, and crosse the next feather to it in fléeing, and by that meane bée a hinderance to the Hawke, and a paine, it shall be good to cut it off in the quill. And to the end there may grow an other second feather in the place of that which is so spoyled and cutte off, it shall bée well done to make the quill to drop

away. To bring that to passe, first of all wipe well the bloud congcaled and corrupted within the place, and after that, fill it with Aqua vita, of the best that may bée gotten, and deale so artificially as the Aqua vita may stay, and not droppeout of the place. Which must be done by stopping the hole with wax, or such like deuise. This Aqua vita by meane of the heat of it, will cause the quill to fall away within eight dayes or little more, by meane whereof there may shoot out a new feather.