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 the cauterising instruments and tooles, where∣with Falconers doe seare their Hawkes in de∣sperate cures, when nothing else will serue the turne but fire, the last refuge of all others.

[illustration] depiction of cauterising instruments

HAuing sundry times in my collection of Falconrie spoken of cawterie, to be bestowed vpon Hawkes, according to tho diversity of their diseases & hurts, it shall bée very néedfull for me here in the latter end of my third booke, to set down the proportion and shape of the yrons which are proper to the mat∣ter and maner of cure, being a very necessary thing for euery good Falconer to haue those yrons about him continually to serue his turne.

Wherefore I say that the cauterising yrons are made in foure maners, and beare foure seuerall kinds of shapes, as by their peculiar pictures and portraitures may bée séene.

Wherof the first assigned to this charact (A) doth serue to cauterize the head of a hawke, because it is round, & somwhat plaine on the toppe.

The second, signed with the letter (B) shall serue to cawte∣rise the nares without danger or hurt to the little stert that groweth vp in the middle of the nares, for that it is round and hollow at the top.

The third, which is (C) is a cawterising button to burne or seare the head of a Hawke, and with that other deuise on the backe side, to cut the skin vnder the nares if néed be.

The last, signed with the character (D) is oftentimes vsed to cawterise and enlarge the nares of a Hawke, & therefore is made so small & sharp at the point, y^e better to enter the nares.

Of these tooles and instrumentes, it behoues you to haue larger and lesser, according to the variety & proportion of your Hawkes, for that the Falcon and Goshawkes head being more huge than the Sparowhawkes, it shall not bee good nor conuenient to cawterise the all w^t one selfe yron of one bignes, but to shift your toole, according to the quality of the hawke.

Ouer and beside all these tooles aforesaid, a Falconer must haue his paire of kniues, one streight pointed, the other ben∣ding at the toppe, a splatter, his coping yrons, a payre of Si∣sers and a Surgeons instrument to serue his vse in all diseases of a hawke about her beake and pounces.

Thus much I accept sufficient as touching Hawkes and birds of prey, so as now there remayneth nothing more, but the French Falconers opinion of diseases and cures, and last∣ly, one small treatise and very necessary discourse, as touching the diseases that happen to Spaniels with the cure of the said mischiefes, which shall bée the very last part of af all this col∣lection of Falconrie.

Though I like the Italian Gentleman very well for his

singular skill and iudgement in Falconrie, yet neuerthelesse, because I find sundry things very good and necessary in the French practicioners which may stand you in stead, (as well for manning and luring, as also curing your diseased hawks) for whose onely benefite I vndertooke the collection of this my booke. And partly, for that the French Gentleman shall not grow iealoous of mee that I scorne his skill in regard of the learned and delicate Italian, waying them both indifferently, if I find them both to deserue like due commendation and praise: I haue here offered to your view and iudgementes sundry French mens opinions and inuentions as touching this art of Falconrie, crauing you to iudge the best both of thē and me: of them your neighbours for their first inuentions: & of me your Countryman for my late collection: whose paines bestowed herein, shall be nothing but a pleasure, if I may find my selfe guerdoned with good liking, and deserued thankes from you. And so I commit you ouer to the discourse it selfe without any farther circumstance or protestation.

Notes

• A
• B
• C
• D