The gentlemans recreation in two parts : the first being an encyclopedy of the arts and sciences ... the second part treats of horsmanship, hawking, hunting, fowling, fishing, and agriculture : with a short treatise of cock-fighting ... : all which are collected from the most authentick authors, and the many gross errors therein corrected, with great enlargements ... : and for the better explanation thereof, great variety of useful sculptures, as nets, traps, engines, &c. are added for the taking of beasts, fowl and fish : not hitherto published by any : the whole illustrated with about an hundred ornamental and useful sculptures engraven in copper, relating to the several subjects.

CHAP. X.

The GOSHAWK. [ 40]

THis is a Short Winged Hawk, whose nature and properties require different Management, that is, Manning, Reclaiming and Mewing from Falcons and other Long Winged Hawks. And of all Hawks, she is doubtless the most Shie and Coy both towards the Men and Dogs, requiring more the Courtship of a Mistress, than the Authority of a Master, being apt to remember any unkind and rough usage; but being gently handled, will become very tractable, and kind to her Keeper; [ 50] and may be brought from that Aversion she hath to the Spaniels.

There are divers Sorts and Sizes of Goshawks, which are different in Goodness, force and har∣diness, according to the several Countries where they are Bred; but no place affords so good as those of Moscovy, Norway, and the North of Ireland, especially in the County of Tyrone.

The most weighty are by many esteemed the best, and for Colour the White-Mail; for gene∣rally [ 60] they are bold, and yet not so wild, but that by little industry they may be Reclaimed; and those of this Colour are for the most part stron∣ger than others, and may be well made to Flee the Hern, or any such strong Bird.

As to the Proportion and Shape of a good Gos∣hawk, she should be thus made; To have a small long Head, a short Beak, a large Throat, her Nares, Back, and Feet large, a long Neck, big Breast, short fleshly Thighs, short and sharp black Poun∣ces and Tallons, large Feathers, under her Train to be Engouted, that is to have black Spots, the Train-Feathers to be short, and the Covert-Fea∣thers of the Train Spotted with Black Bars, and of these the fewer the better.

The Signs to know when she is in Health, is her Pounces, which will be Black, and her Sear and Feet well Guilded.

The Goshawk by nature is very Hardy, and catching for Prey, and withall very disdainful, so that a Nice Hand must be kept over her, with constant carrying her Barefaced, with the Perch to be where People are frequent, and that she take no Fright; so that they that desire to keep her long, must use her gently, and be well advi∣sed when, and how to Flee her, lest if she miss her Prey she take Pet, and so make you wait upon her.

The Goshawk is very apt to take stand on any Tree, and when they discover their Prey, will quit the Tree with such fierceness and strength, that they seldom miss their Game.

Your Goshawk being Manned, take her to the Field, and with a Train-Partridge embolden her, and let her Plume thereon, which will make her more eager. If the Partridge chance to Spring, let her flee, and if she kills it, Reward her: And if it happen that the Spaniels should take it (as oft times high metled Dogs will do) then be sure to take it speedily from them, and cast it out to your Hawk, crying Ware Hawk, ware, and let her feed thereon at pleasure. Thus using her three or four times, if she have any Mettle she will doubtless become excellent for this sport. But take notice that after you have thus Rewarded her with such bloody Meat at fill, you must not fly her in at least a day or two after; and at first enter her to the strongest Partridge you can, for if you enter her on Young-ones it will make her lazy, and not care for long flights. If she kill, Reward her therewith, and be sure have a great care to keep her in good order; and if in case your Hawk (as being out of order) turn Tail, or give off the flight and take a Tree, call in your Spaniels to the Retrieve that way she flew the Partridge, and let the Faulconer also draw himself that way, and being provided with a Partridge, let him cast it out to her (but so that she see it not) which will make her believe it is the same she flew at, and when you cast it out, cry Ware Hawk, ware; Then make her seize it, and let her feed thereon; and by this means she will be encouraged to flee out her flight another time. If the next time you flee her (which must be after a day or two) she serve you so again, then observe the aforesaid Directions, and if she yet retain her ill custom, she will not be worth the keeping.

[illustration]

PARTRIDG HAWKING

To the Worshipfull John Bassett of Heanton-Punchardon In Devon-Shire Esq••

This Plate is humbly dedicated by Richard Blome

Partridge Hawking.

THis Game affords great Diversion and Re∣creation, and attended with no small profit; for I have been credibly informed by a Worthy Gentleman and an expert Falconer, Sir Ralph Dutton, that he hath killed in a Season with one Goshawk an hundred Brace of Partridges. [ 10]

For the taking them, your chief business is to be prepared with about four or five Couple of Spaniels that are good Rangers, and such as will hunt at command in compass; whose motion you are to follow on Horse-back with your Hawk on your Fist, so that you may be ready to cast her off upon their springing any. And when she hath killed it, for her Reward observe the aforesaid Directions.

It is now the Mode to go into the Field with [ 20] a Cast or two of Hawks, and about six or seven Couple of good ranging Spaniels, and when a Covey is sprung, to cast them all off at a time, which affords good diversion to the Spectators. But in the Opinion of some, this way is not ap∣proved of, as being designed rather to go out to kill what they can, than only for the Sport.

The Falcons and other long Winged Hawks be∣ing flown at the Field, if they kill not their Game in the foot the first flight, are taught by [ 30] nature to climb up and mount aloft upon the Mark for their advantage, and to the end they may kill at their stooping; some indeed will trust to their own swiftness and master their Prey at the stretch: So also the Goshawk through her swift flying doth at her pleasure master her Prey, whereas those others that are slugs and slow of flight do win what they get by Policy, watching their advantages, wherein their Keeper ought to assist them. [ 40]

The Goshawk in the time of her ful∣ness and pride will not without very gentle usage be brought conformable in any measure to her Keepers Will, but when she comes to be Enseamed and made ready for the purpose is exceeding prone to Bate, and consequently to throw her self into several Distempers which shortens her days. To prevent this and many ilconveniencies, you ought by your utmost diligence to make her Inwards and loving to [ 50] you.

As for Cold Meat, it matters not much whe∣ther you wash it or not, for the Blood being cold for a day or two hath lost its vigour; but use not cold Meat long, for that breeds many Diseases. When you go into the Fields to flee, take a Meals Meat well washt and clean dryed, and after she hath Cast in the Morning, give her a bit or two as she is hooded; and if you flee her not in about an hour after give her another [ 60] bit, and so afterwards according to your discre∣tion to keep her Stomach sharp, and yet to pre∣vent Wind, whereunto all Hawks are sub∣ject.

When you set her to the Perch Hood her, and indeed your Fist for the most part should be her Perch until she is throughly Reclaimed and well flown; for in her making a little rest will cause her to return to her first Ramageness, and to forget what you have taught her.

Whilst you are Making, Enseaming and Re∣claiming her, feed her often, and but a little at a time, and not with set Meals, and give her often Tiring upon a sweet Rump of Beef, or the Pini∣ons of the Wings of a Fowl, which will keep her Head clear, and quicken her Stomach; for when once she is full, she hath no more love for you at that present; whereas if you keep her sharp she will be regardful of you, listning for your coming with joy and delight when she hears your voice, for then she expects something from your welcom hands.

When you Enter her, put her on the highest pitch of hunger to prevent the worst, and then you shall discover both her Mettle and Love; besides you shall thereby prevent many incon∣veniences of Frights and Sloth, which attend an imperfect and dead Stomach.

Having shewed how to make your Goshawk for the Land, it will not be amiss to give some Instructions how to make her for the River, for the Hern, Wild-Goose, Duck, Teal, &c. which is thus done. First, Make her to the Fist, as is already prescribed; then carry her without Bells and en∣ter her with a live Duck tyed to a Creance, and so draw near it with your Hawk on your Fist unhooded, and then throw out the Duck and cast off your Hawk, and if she take it at the Souse, let her be Rewarded and fed with a reason∣able Gorge; then take her up to your Fist, hooding her, and giving her a Leg or Wing thereof to plume upon.

After this manner do two or three times with about three days respit between, and it will well enter her for the Game.

Directions for Keeping and Reclaiming a Goshawk; as also how to Mew and draw her out of the Mew, and make her flying.

THE chiefest Skill of a Falconer is to make his Hawk delight in her Flight, which is occasioned by kind usage; and therefore it hap∣pens that many Goshawks (as indeed other sorts) that are good in their Soarage, become worse after Mewing.

At the first entrance he should be provided with a Train-Partridge in his Bag to Reward her on occasions, to gain her love, and be sure to keep her always in good order; and to that end observe, that all Goshawks are naturally full of all moist humors, especially in their Heads, and therefore he ought to ply them with Tiring and Pluming Morning and Evening, to open their Heads, and occasion them to cast out Water thereat. A Rump of Beef, a Pigeon, or the Leg of a Chicken is very good to Plume them.

You should give her every Night Castings of Feathers, Cotton, Linnen Thrums, a Hares or Rabets-Foot; and observe it in the Morning whe∣ther it is wrapped round or nor, whether dry or moist, and of what colour the Water is that

drops out of the Casting; for by these signs he may know the condition of his Hawk, for the cleaner the Water is, and the sweeter the Casting, the better she is in health; for if her Castings are clammy, she is not fit to be flown that day.

Her Mewts must also be observed, to see if they be clean or not, and prescribe Remedies ac∣cordingly. He must keep her clean, and her Feathers whole, and if any happen to be bro∣ken [ 10] to Imp them, and if bruised to put them into Warm-Water to straiten; but if they hap∣pen to be in such a place that you can't put them into Water (as towards the Plumage or Pinion) then heat the Stemb or Stalk of a Cabage in Warm-Water, slit it and so lay it on the Bent-feathers, which will soon draw them strait. And a good Falconer should always be provided with his Imping-Needles, his Semond, and other Instru∣ments. He should always keep her high and [ 20] lusty, yet so that she may be in a condition for a flight.

If she chance to Bath her self in Cold Wea∣ther, after a flight (which sometimes she will do through the carelesness of the Falconer, in not letting her Bath her self) set her in the Sun and she will soon dry her self; but if it is Rainy or Frosty-Weather, then set her near a Fire with her Back towards it, and not her Gorge.

Goshawks by nature are addicted to Poult; [ 30] that is, to kill Poultrey; and to bring them from that ill quality, set their Perch in some place where Poultrey comes to acquaint them therewith, by which means they will not be apt to fly at them, and the Perch should be lined with Cotton or Canvass; and in Warm-Weather she may be set for an hour or two in the Morning in the Sun-shine, and always observe never to set her near a Wall, to the end she may not hurt her Feathers when she Bateth. [ 40]

It is requisite to fly the Goshawk the first Year to the Field, and not to the Covert, by which means she will learn to hold out, and not to turn Tail in the midst of her flight; For a Mewed Hawk is very tractable, and it is better for her to be a little Ramage than over-Manned.

If you design her for great Fowl, then make her Trains thereof, and do not fly her at less.

If you would have her to fly with Dogs, train [ 50] her up with them, and Reward her with them to make her acquainted with them; but of this more in the Chapter of Spaniels.

In case she is in flying, and a great Killer, you may give her bloody Rewards, with Suppers of the same, or at least three times a Week; but not so in the time of Rest.

Concerning Castings.

AS for the Castings to give your Goshawk, I [ 60] advise you neither to this or that in particular, but search out what agreeth with her best, and that use. Be sure to get her a good Stomach before you proffer her Castings, and let it be no more than what she can easily swallow; when once she hath taken it, give her a bit or two of Meat to please her at first putting on her Hood, in which she must sit until you find she hath put over her Casting into her Pannel. She will soon perceive what it is she is to do when you afterwards offer her any, if you Reward her kindly after her taking it. When once she hath put it into her Pannel, give her a reasonable Sup∣per. I hold it not amiss to acquaint you with this Method at the beginning; but when once she is truly Enseamed give her her Supper, and when you are going to Bed, give her her Casting with a little bit of Meat. When she is in flying, give her Plumage every Night when you feed her up; but when she Rests, feed her at Night with very clean Meat without any Casting, and prepare a Thrum or Hares-Foot Casting of a reasonable size, not too big, and early in the Morning she will Cast; and then in half an hour you may give her a bit or two of Meat, and she will be fit to flee in the Afternoon.

Your own observation of the difference be∣tween the Complexions of Castings thus given, compared with those given upon a full Feeding, will soon convince you that the latter way is safe, and not unpleasing to your Hawk, as the other is. But if you will give Castings at Night, feed her not too full, and give her a little Plumage with it. If she dislikes Castings of Thrum (as many do) then give her those of a Hares-Foot, or Coneys-Foot, the Bones and Fur being well broken together.

How a Goshawk ought to be called loose, and taught to draw, and in what pla∣ces.

FOR calling your Goshawk loose, that is to teach her to follow you from place to place, you must take her some distance from Home, and to such a place that is remote from a Town or House where Poultrey are, being great tempta∣tions to her; but the most convenient place is a young Wood or Grove solitarily seated, and ha∣ving prepared her Stomach fit for the purpose, put her up into some Tree, walking some distance from her into the Wind, gently using your Voice as if you had Spaniels vvith you, to the end she may be the better invited to follow you, and if she doth, let her not be too long, but call her to your Fist, Rewarding her vvith a Bit or two of Meat, vvhich you should have in a readiness in your Bag; Then put her up into a Tree again, and vvith a gentle and low Voice call her after you, as before directed, saying, Come, Come.

Pheasant Hawking; Giving Directions how to enter a Goshawk to the Covert for Pheasants.

THere is none can order and manage the Gos∣hawk to the Covert, but such as are of a strong and able Body, vvith Spirit and Courage added thereto to follow her up and down; and having one so qualified observe these Directions, for this Flight is different from the Champain-Fields,

[illustration]

To the Right Worshipfull S^r: John Thorold of Marston in the County of Sincolne Baronet

This plate is humbly dedicated 〈…〉〈…〉

where the Hawk and Game is always in sight: For you are to make her to the Pheasant, and such like sort of Fowl that always frequent Woods, Coverts, and the like obscure places, which hinder your sight that should be your guide in the flight. And for the better effecting this, you must be ve∣ry careful what place you first enter her in, to the end she may be well guarded and kept from ta∣king any dislike or offence at the Dogs, which if she do at the first entrance, it will be difficult to [ 10] bring her to endure them again: For the former familiarity betwixt her and the Dogs was bred in the Field, where she might see them before they came at her, and were prevented by the Falcon∣ers runing hastily into her, to occasion any such fright. Therefore to prevent any such ill quality at the first, she must be better manned, followed, and governed than in the Field; so that if you would have her made a perfect Hawk, and to be bold and venturous in thick Woods with the [ 20] Falconer, the Dogs and the Game, you must make good choice of the Time, Place, and Dogs.

For the Time, it should be early in the Year, viz. about January, February, or March, which is before the Approach of the Leaf; but the best Months for Pheasant Hawking, are November, December, and January, after which time you must be pre∣paring her for the Mew, that she may be early Mewed, to Fly at the Field the next Season for [ 30] Partridge.

Having made good choise of the place to Fly your Hawk in, and that you have let her go un∣to her Flight; you must be sure to command your Dogs behind you, until you have found her; and if she hath killed the Game, it is suffici∣ent, if not, but that you find her on the Ground out of an eagerness of the Sport (as many will be at first entrance) if there be any Tree that she may well see from it, set her thereon, otherwise [ 40] keep her upon your Fist, and beat for it again; then if she Fly and kill it, keep back the Dogs until you have found her; and suffer her to Plume, and take her pleasure for a while, then call in your Dogs gently, and walk about her, encou∣raging her with your Voice, that she may be ac∣quainted with the Noise; and when you see it convenient stoop to it on your Knees, and ren∣ding the Chaps give her Blood in the Throat, which will much please her. Also pare away the hard [ 50] Brain-pan from the rest, and give her the Head in her Foot to eat, the Ground hiding from her the Body, and having your Dogs close by (which must be in great Command), when she has done, and begins to look about her, then throw the Phea∣sant amongst them that she may (together with some words of Rebuke from you) make them give way with fear unto her; but let them be in her sight, and having sufficiently taken her Pleasure, take the Pheasant gently from her, leav∣ing [ 60] the Head in her Foot, and let her eat it on the Ground, where the Quarry lay, only reser∣ving a little to take her to your Fist withal; then put on her Hood, and Reward her according to the former Directions, which will much win her Love to you. And according to these Directions, with a good Keeper, fair flying, and two or three staunch Spaniels, in a short time she will be brought to good perfection.

For the emboldning your Hawk to make her take a Pheasant from the Perch with courage observe these Directions: Before you flee her provide a dead Pheasant, or one alive which is best, which take along with you into the Wood, and when you are disposed to call your Hawk for her Supper, and as she is drawing and at∣tending after you for the same (having a conve∣nient Pole ready for that purpose) call your Spa∣niels about you to make them Bay, and suddenly breaking the Neck of the Pheasant, lift it upon a Bough that the Hawk may have sight thereof, and with your voice calling and incouraging her to come in to seize it; and if she pulls it down, be sure that you so rebuke the Dogs, and keep them at command, that at her descending they give her way; and that she may plume, and take her pleasure thereon, which in a small time will so embolden her, that when she seeth a Pheasant take Perch, she will immediately seize it, and pull it down; nor will she be fearful of the Dogs; for when they are once managed and brought in∣to good subjection, they will know their duty, and be fearful of transgressing, so that you may venture them if you were absent: But be sure you have no strange Dogs, for one may spoil your sport, drawing the rest into Errors, and cause them to hunt after any thing: Nor is it convenient to hunt with many Spaniels, for two or three Cou∣ple are enough to range and beat about a large Wood, and to Perch a Pheasant.

For Reclaiming and Ordering an Eyess Hawk.

YOU must be provided with some conveni∣ent cool Room that is Airy, with two wic∣ker or glass Lights to let in the Air, and on the Floor for coolness strew fresh Sand, and place in the Room two or three great Turfs or Sods for her to set cool upon; you must also have two or three Perches lined, and one higher than another. When she is full summed, so that she can flee, then set a Pan of Water in the Room to bathe in, which must be shifted every two or three days; being not only very wholsom, but it will cause her to Mew or be full summed the sooner and better.

You must feed her with young Pigeons, Sheeps-hearts, and the like; and whilst she is young, her Meat should be cut in small Pellets, and be fed two or three times a day, according as you find her endew it, and put it over. When she is full summed, and flies about, you may give her Pige∣ons, feeding her sometimes on your Fist, permitting her to gripe and kill them in your hand. You may also put a live Pigeon into the Room where she is kept, which will the better teach her how to foot and kill them; and that she may be taken off from that ill quality of hiding her Prey after she hath seized it, which is customary to all Eyesses, let her feed in your Presence; and to make her the more bold and acquainted with you, go into the Room every Morning to call her to your F••st, whistling and using some incouraging ways as is

accustomary, and that you would have her ac∣quainted with.

When she is full summed, and hath put forth all her Feathers, take her out of the Room, and furnish her with a Rufter-hood, as also with Bells, Jesses and Bewets: And to make her indure her Hood, put a Brayle, that is, a piece of Leather slit upon one of her Wings to tye it up, and then spout Water out of your mouth to wet her, and put her Hood on and off several times, which will [ 10] teach her to take it gently. And to make her indure the Hood at first, you must have a Rufter∣hood, with which often hood and unhood her, stroak∣ing her Head gently with your Hand, until she will abide it; then in the Evening by Candle-light unseal her, giving her something to tyre upon, handling and stroaking her Feathers, as also hood∣ing and unhooding her.

When your Eyess is well won to the Hood, and to the Fist, (which custom will soon bring her to) [ 20] let her kill Birds or Pigeons on your Fist; then for four or five days, or longer, (as occasion re∣quires) call her until she will come to you at some distance; then take a live Pigeon tied by the foot with a Creance, which you must stir until she Bates at it, and seizeth it; but this must be at a small distance, lest the Pigeons strugling should discourage her, until she is well entred; therefore in such case you should assist her, and let her Plume and foot it, suffering her to feed thereon, [ 30] whistling and incouraging her: Then hood her, and let her plume and tyre a little. The day fol∣lowing call her to your Fist, shewing her a live Pigeon so near, that she may reach it; then cast it out before her, and let her flee and seize it, giving her a Reward. Again, throw out a Chicken before her, and if she seize it, reward her well; and by this means using her to great Trains, she will get courage, and will not fly away with them and hide them as if trained to small Birds. But this [ 40] is only for a Sparrow-hawk; for a Goshawk must have no live thing given her in her Foot, from the time of her first entring, until she hath killed something by her own strength: But if a Goshawk be so cowardly as not to seize it, then take a live Partridge, make a hole in the Ground, and put the Partridge therein, covering it with a Slat or thin Board, and tye a String to it of about twen∣ty Yards long, which you must hold in your hand to draw away as occasion requires; then [ 50] makes as if you uncoupled your Spaniels to hunt, and put up the Game, and carry her unhooded; and when you perceive that she looketh towards the place where the Train is, then draw off the Slat or Board, and cause the Train to spring as if by the Spaniels; and if she take it, let her feed there∣on her fill on the Ground: And this course do se∣veral times to make her perfect therein. [ 60]