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.

How to make your Falcon kill her fowle at the first.

[illustration] depiction of hawk

WHen a Soare Falcon or a Haggard is well lured, and flyeth a good gate, or a reasonable pitch, and stoo∣peth

well, then shall you first cast off a well quarried, or make Hawke, and let her stoope a fowle vppon a brooke or a plashe, and watch her vntill she put it to the plunge: then take downe your make Hawke, and reward her and hoode her vp, setting her a little way off by the flight, that you may vse her helpe af∣terwards if need be. This being done, take your yong hawke which is not yet entered, and going vp the wind halfe a bow∣shotte or thereabouts loose her hoode, and softly whistle her off the fist, vntill she haue rowsed or mewted, then let her flée with her head into the wind, hauing first giuen shewe to your company that they be in a readinesse against the Hawke bée at a good gate, and to shew water, and lay out the fowle. This order being obserued, and running and crying as Fal∣coners vse to doe, hawke on your Falcon, and giue her leaue to get vp, and when shée is at a reasonable pitch, and couering the fowle, giue a signe to your companions that they drawe neate to the water, and all at once make in vppon the fowle on all sides the brooke (as Falconers tearme it) to land her: thē if your Falcon stoope, and strike or trusse it, runne in a pace to helpe her, and crossing the fowles wings, let your hawke take her pleasure on it, féeding her as custome is: but if so chance that shée cannot stay it at the first stooping, then you must giue your Hawke respite and time to recouer her gate: And when shée is at her gate againe, and her head in, then lay out the fowle againe as before sayd, vntill you may land it at the last, alwayes remembring that as soone as shée seaze it, you succour her quickly, and reward her according to order. True it is, that to be assured, you shall doe well alwayes to haue a quicke Mallard or Ducke in the hawking bag, whensoeuer you would make a slight: and if your hawke kill not the fowle which is stooped (as often hapneth by many ouerthwart chan∣ces) then may you quickly haue recourse to the hawking bag, and féeling your liue Ducke (your hawke being at her pitch, and her head in) you may throw her vp to your Hawke, & re∣ward her, &c. For this order shall alwayes maintaine your Hawke to be inwards, and in good life and blood.