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 giddinesse and shaking of a Hawkes head.

THere doth diuers times happen vnto Falcons, and other Hawkes a mischiefe, whose nature is, to cause the hawke

to shake her head continually, so as at no time shée can holde it still or steady, but is euer mouing it to one side or other, hol∣ding her eyes close shut withall. This disease is called Soda, which in english we may tearm the Megrim, or a kind of pal∣sie, by mean the head is in continuall mouing.

This euill may procéed, eyther by the fowlenesse of the pa∣nell, or of a corrupt and naughty liuer. The remedie for it is this, which I haue found very good, and wherewith I haue cured my hawke in times past. You must giu & your sick hawk a casting of cotton, in which you shall enwrappe of Aloes E∣paticke one scruple, of Cloues two graines, making these into powder before you giue it: then two howres after the taking of this scowring, féed your hawke with a yong Pygeon, or a hote Pullets legge, vsing this selfe same order thrée or foure mornings one after another.

One other remedy for it is this. Take as much vnwasht Larde as the toppe of your little finger, with a quantitie of Pepper, and a little Aloes Epaticke, beate these two last into powder, and conuey them into the Larde, which done, thrust them into your hawkes throat, holding her on your fist a space after it: then tie her on the pearch in the Sunne, & there let her stay till shée cast both the scowring, & the slimy matter which is in her gorge. And this medicine you may vse euery rhird day once, féeding your hawke with hote meats, as Pigeons, and yong Sparowes, and euerytime you giue her this scow∣ring, conuey into her a little Aloes, which is an excellent thing to scowre her, and quit her of of this disease.

If these receits and scowrings yéeld no remedy, then must you to the actuall cauterie, shearing away the plumes about that part of the head where you will apply your fire, euer re∣specting the bone, and burning nothing but the very skinne, to let the mischiefe breath, remouing the escarre, and doing the cure after the escarre remoued, as is before said. Let this suffice for this monstrous mischiefe which kils many hawkes: yet haue I cured my hawks twice by these remedies in my time.

Notes

• The Cure.