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.

The manner of drawing Hawkes out of the Mew.

WHen ye draw your hawkes out of the mew, yée had neede to take héede that they bée not too greasie: for sometimes when they bée so, and set vpon the fist vnhooded, they so take on and heate themselues with bating, that they break their greace within them, putting themselues in great danger of death. Wherfore my counsel is, that all mew∣ed hawks should be well attended and fed with washt meat, fourtéene or fiftéene dayes before they bee drawne out of the mew to bréede resolution of glitte and grosse matter which is in their panels, whereof they shall scowre the most part by doing as is aforesaid, and so shall ye quit them of all danger.

Mallopin speaking hereof in his booke of the Prince, saith, that if a hawke bée huge and greasie, when she is new drawn, a man must not beare her vnhooded. For yée may well vnder∣stand, that if shée feele the sunne, the aire, or the wind; she light∣ly falleth to bating and stirring, by meanes whereof shée hea∣teth her selfe inordinately, and so runs in danger of death, & spoyle by taking cold vpon it. Whereupon the Petty falco∣ners and Nouices which know not what it meaneth, say that the hawke perisheth by meane of her me wing and tho∣rough default. And therefore when a Hawke is to be drawne out of the mew, shée must be well attended and lookt to, that hernie at be washt, and regard had that shée bée not ouergor∣ged. And if happily shée loose her appetite, and list to féede, take Aloes Cicotrine, and the iuyce of Barberies, and fores her to receyue it in the gut of a hen. Which done, hold her vpon your fist vntill she haue scowred, kéeping her empty till noone: At which time giue her some hote meat or bird, and the next day giue her of a hen, setting her water to hath: & assure your selfe that this medicine is good against all wormes and Filan∣ders that may bréed in the body of a Hawke.

Mallopin sayth, that whē ye draw a hawke out of the mew,

yée must wash her meat, féeding her therewith by little & little, and allow her such flesh as is laxatiue, that she may haue the lesse ioy to kéepe it long or stand vpon it, and to the end shée bée not proud or ouerhaught of her drawing out of the mew. And there withall shée must be dayly plyed and borne on the fist. Within few dayes after she is thus drawne, ye must scowre her and enseame her with the foresaid medicine of Lard, Su∣gar, Mace and Saffron with a very little Aloes, for if yee confect it with too much Aloes, yee shall bring her ••o∣uer low. Therefore giue her of it euery day a pyll for thrée dayes together: & thereupon set her in the sunne or by the fire, kéeping her empty two or thrée howres after, then giue her a reasonable gorge of a pullet, or of mutton.

M. Cassian sayth, that some Falconers after they haue enseamed their hawkes in maner aforesaid thrée or four days before they intend to flée, doe giue them a pyll of the bignes of a beane made in maner following. They vse to take a little Larde with the powder of pepper and ashes sisted and ser∣ced, of each a like much, and a little fine salt, and a quantity of Aloes Cicotrine in powder. They mingle them all well and throughly together, and make thereof a bal, and conuey it into the hawks beak, so as they enforce her to take it down, if she will not otherwise. Which done, they hold her hooded by y^e fire or in y^e sun, making hir to kéep the pill as long as they can, & afterward do let her cast it at her pleasure. By this meane yée shall sée y^t shée will g•••••• and slegmatick humors wherby her panell and vowells will be discharged of much glit, and she become sound and chearefull, and ready to flée her prey. And an howre or twain after this, they féed her with a liue thickē: for yée must 〈◊〉〈◊〉 the pyll which shee hath receyued hath distempered h•••• very much. Neuerthelesse I must giue you warning that you must 〈◊〉〈◊〉 so deale w^t a poor & low Hawke, as yée would wish a hawke that is high and in pride. In doing after this maner your Hawke shall bée lusty, & enioy her all the year after. For hardly shal that hawk do her part in fléeing that yeare which is not well scowred, & carfully enseamed.