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 Cataract in the eyes of a Hawke.

BEsides those other euils, there is a Cataract which dooth light vpon the eyes of a Hawke, whome we may tearm a suffusion, a mischiefe not easily remoued, and diuers times impossible to be recured, as namely, when it is grown too thick and ouerlong, hath béen suffered in the eye, without séeking re∣medy for it: but if it be not confirmed, then may it well bee re∣medied, and I my selfe haue cured sundry hawkes affected with this euill.

This euill accident doth happen, by meane of grosse hu∣mors in the head, which are wont to dimme and darken the sight, and sometimes cleane to put out the hawkes eye with∣out redemption.

It may bee, that the hoode is the cause and ground of this disease, for I neuer in my life remember that I saw any other birde or fowle troubled with it but onely the Falcon: and per∣happes it lights on her in chiefe, for that of all other, shée is most vsed to the hoode, and to be almost at no time vn∣hooded.

You must therefore haue an eye, and especiall regard to this inconuenience at the first, by giuing one or two morninges a scowring of Aloes, or of Agaricke, to scowre your Hawke withall, because if you should aduenture vpon any sharpe or hard painefull medicine, applying it to the eye of your hawke, it would perhaps cause a great repaire of euil humors, and ac∣cidents to the place diseasaid.

When you haue giuen this scowring of Aloes, or Aga∣ricke, to remoue the matter from the eye, you must vse a pow∣der made of washt Aloes, finely beaten, one scruple, and of Sugar Candie two scruples, blowing out this powder into your Hawkes eyes thrée or foure times in a day, with the Pipe or quill aforesaid. This is the gentlest, and most So∣ueraine medicine that you can apply to the eye in this case,

and whilest you do minister this receit, it shall bee good some∣times to bath the eye with the vrine of a little boy.

If by these medicines aforesaid, the webbe of the eye will not bee remoued, we must be driuen to vse a stronger receipt, which is this:

Take a new said egge, and rost it so long vntill the white of it become like milke. When you haue so done, put it into a fine white linnen cloth, and straine it so much, and so long, vntill you sée issue through your strainer a cleare gréene wa∣ter, whereof you shall now and then infuse a droppe or two in∣to the hurt eye, vsing it so thrée or foure times in the day at the least, vntll you sée your Hawke amend of her mischiefe, and waxe sound.

Last of all, if these thinges auayle not to the cure, I do com∣mend and allow aboue all the rest, that you take the iuyce of Celendine rootes, making them cleane from the earth that doth vse to hang to the moores: then scrape away the outmost rynde and pill of the roote, and vse the iuyce to your Hawke. Truely I haue found this to bee of singular force and vertue in the like accident.

It shall not bée amisse, in this and such like affections and ill passions of the eye of a Hawke, to bath her eyes often with rose-water, wherein haue béen boyled the séeds of Fenygreke. But you must remember, that this water or coli••ie, be some∣what warme when you vse it, because the eye is so noble, and so sensible a member, as it can ill brooke thinges eyther ouer∣hote, or ouer cold, but must haue them moderately hot or cold. This deuise may you vse to bath your Hawkes eye withall, vntill such time she be recouered, féeding her mean while with good meats, and such as are light of disgestion.

Hawkes are of so noble and excellent a nature, as the most part of medicines that you doe apply to the hurtes and cures of men, you may boldly bestow on hawkes, as thinges verie holesome for them, as by their working will be most euidently séene and perceyued: yet must there bee a discretion vsed, in

the administration of these said receites, hauing alwayes a re∣gard vnto the weake and delicate nature of Hawkes, in re∣spect of men: and therefore the quantities of euery thing must be allowed and giuen accordingly. [For when all the medi∣cines recited shal faile to worke, if then you take but a leafe of ground Iuie, and champing it in your mouth, spit the iuyce thereof into the hawkes eye, it will not onely take away this euill, but any other griefe in the eye whatsoeuer.]

It hapneth diuers times, that through the catarre, and paine of the head and eyes, there lights vpon the eares of a Hawke so mortall and deadly an apostume, as seldom when, though there be great care vsed about the cure, shée may bée brought to perfect state or recouered. And this procéedeth, be∣cause the mischiefe lies so neare a neighbour to the braine, as before it can breake or be cleansed outwardly, it causeth the Hawke to perish, Besides that, it is very hard to apply medi∣cines in that place: but if the hawke bée of so strong a nature, that shée brook the breathing and rupture of this disease, which you shall perceiue by the quitture and filth that dooth issue from her eares, giue her this remedie, which is a very noble receit, and approued of me oftentimes, as well in men, as in Hawkes, to my great commendation and glory.

Take hony of Roses, and oyle of egges, incorporate them together, and powre twice or thrice a day into the eares of your Hawke, some few drops of it hote: and if you find by the aboundance of filth, that there néedeth great abstersion, you may adde thereunto a quantity of Sarcacoll beaten into powder.

The Wine of Pomegranats is a most excellent remedy in this mischiefe, confected with those things aforesaid.

Butter well coyled and beaten in a morter of lead, one howre at the least, and afterwards powred into the hawkes eares reasonable hote, twice or thrice a day, is a very good remedie.

Notes

• The Cure.
• Another remedy.
• Adition.
• The Cure.