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 diseases of the head, and first of the Apoplexie or falling evill.

HAuing in purpose to treate of the diseases wherewith hawkes those silly birdes are vexed in their heades, I must do you to know, that vnder the name and tearme of the head, I doe not onely comprise that part that containeth the braine, but also the eares, eyes, beake, or chap, nares, & mouth of the hawke: al which parts are subiect to sundry diseases and euils. But first of all, I meane to speake of the chiefest, and most principall part of all the rest, & of such maladies as light vpon the braine, and after that, of such as happen to the ex∣ternall and outward parts of the hawkes head. Among all which infirmities and griefs, I account the Apoplexie (whom the Italians call Gozza) the greatest and most perillous, as the which doth ordinarily cause and bring sodaine death.

This mischiefe doth commonly befall hawkes, by meane of too much grease, and store of blood, for that at that time ther doth happily breake some one vaine or other in the braine, which doth fill some concauity or hollow cell of the braine w^t blood, in which Cels, (as the learned do imagine and affirme) the animal spirites are engendered, and haue their beginning. Without which animall spirits, no liuing creature can eyther haue sense or mouing. Whereupon it doth follow of very ne∣cessity, and by a méere consequent, that the passage of those spirites being shut vp, and intercluded, the creature whatsoe∣uer it be, must die.

Againe, it may happen, for that the Hawke hath béene sette too long in the heat of the Sunne, for by that occasion there may bee so much humidity and moist humor drawne vp into the braine, as may engender this euill, and procure this mis∣chiefe in the hawke.

Moreouer it may chance by making a long flight at a Fea∣sant or Partridge, in the heat of the day, by meane of which the hawke hath surcharged her selfe with ouermuch trauaile.

Wherefore it shall bee behouefull and necessary so to vse the matter with care and diligence, as it may be foreséene, that hawkes incurre not this aduenture and euill. Whereuppon for that hawkes in the mew, are accustomed to gather much grease, it shall bée good for the space of fifteene or twenty daies before the drawing of them out of the mew, to feed them with lyquide and slipper flesh, such as may lightly bee put ouer, and passe through them. As namely, with the hearts of Calues, Lambes, or Goates, washed in luke warme water, and afterwards dried in a linnen cloth, before you giue it your Hawke.

Likewise may you boldly féede your hawkes before they are drawne out of the mewe with small Pullets, and young Sparowes. When you haue thus done, and obserued this order of féeding them, when the time is come to drawe them out of the mewe, you must remember to draw them verie orderly, and after that, to continue the same kind of féeding, and to kéepe the same hand vpon them for other twenty daies space at the least, to scowre and disburden your Hawkes of that slime and glitte, which doth surcharge them, hauing them alwayes for the most part on the fist, and especially at night. Neyther shall it bée euill to scowre them, (or as our Ostregers and Falconers do terme it) to enseame them, by giuing them a quantity of washt Aloes, allowing a Falcon as much as the biggenesse of a Beane beaten in the powder, wrapped in Cotton, & so to make her a scowring thereof, and besides to giue her Sugar Candie two or thrée mornings. But in any condition you must beware not to vse Aloes vnwasht, because thereof are bred sundry ill accidents in hawkes. And for that occasion is it prescribed you to vse Aloes washt, to a∣uoide that vndoubted euill which would otherwise happen.

Moreouer, I haue happily, and with good successe ap∣proued this remedy. I haue giuen so much larde, or but∣ter, as I could well conuey into my hawkes throat, when shée hath béene emptie aboue, hauing first prepared the lard,

or butter, by washing it seuen, eight, or more times in clear water, and afterwardes letting it soake in Rose-water a space, and lastly, by putting vnto it of the best Sugar that I could get, or Sugar Candie beaten to powder. And my order was, euer to giue this scowring euery seuenth or eight day. And this is not alone to bee vsed to hawkes in the mew, but also to such as are kept on the pearch and stocke. But if it so fall out, that by these deuises and scowrings you cannot make your Hawke haue a stomacke, and gréedy appe∣tite to féed, it shall not bée euill to pisse vpon her meat, and hauing dried it in part againe, to giue her a gorge sufficient, so much as may serue her, and as shée will take. For the more liquide and slipper flesh you giue her, the sooner will shée bée en∣seamed. And by this meanes doe Falconers preserue their hawkes from the falling euill, and sodaine mischiefe,* 1.1 and be∣sides that from sundry other perillous accidents, that doe fol∣low those silly birds. [But if you take fine larde and beat it with Rue and Hysope till it be all one body, and then make a round pyll and giue it to the Hawke, it will helpe all diseases of the head.]

Notes

• * 1.1

  Adition.