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. XII.

Rules for Reclaiming the Haggard-Faulcon, with Instruction to en∣ter her to the Lure; which Di∣rections will serve for all Long Winged Hawks, Except the Mer∣lin.

HAving one of these Falcons, set her down and let her rest quietly the first Night, in, some convenient place, in her Rufter-Hood; then the next Morning Early, take her up easily on your Fist, and carry her all ••ay up and down thereon, gently stroaking her with a Feather un∣til you find her Gentle and Bold, so as not to start when she is touched, and some times with your Hand; and when you find her not Coy, take off her Hood being alone, putting it on pre∣fently again; and this do till she will Feed; giving her but a little at a time, and do not pull her. Hood off, or put it on without giving her a bit or two, useing your Voice, which will gain her love, for by this means when she is▪ Reclaimed; she will know when she shall be Fed, and when she will Feed Boldly. The next thing is to teach her to jump from the Pearch to your Fist, which is thus done: Let her stand on a Pearch about Breast high, so that they take no Offence, or Fright, until they are acquainted therewith (for the first handling or using of a Hawk, is the ma∣king or marring her; and an ill Habit she is not ea∣sily reclaimed of;) then unstrike her Hood, and Lure her, using your voice, but be sure you do not affright or distast her, that thereby she may Bate from you; therefore be sure unstrike her Hood, and encourage her with some Food to come to you. Now for the better bringing her to sub∣jection, it is good to keep her with a sharp Appe∣tite, for unless that be rightly observed, all the rest is to little purpose.

When you find by this means that she will freely come to your Fist, and be not apt to take offence, you may let her set unhooded, keeping by her to hinder her gazing about by your di∣verting her, and often feeding her with a Bit or two; and when she is brought to this pass, and will boldly receive your Bits, hearken to your voice, and jump to your Fist, then you may set her to the Lure.

When you find she will readily come to your

Lure, vvhich must be garnish't vvith Meat in the Creance, put a young Pigeon to the Lure, and therevvith Lure her; and vvhen she hath killed it, and eaten the Head, take her up gently vvith a Bit of Meat, and put on her Hood; then un∣strike her Hood and Lure her to the Pelt, using this tvvice or thrice; but if you do it often, she vvill be very unvvilling to part vvith the Pelt, and by consequence provoke her to carry, which fault is more accustomary, and worse in a Field than [ 10] River Hawks. You must have a great care that you Lure her not too far till her Stomach be per∣fect, else she may find out something by the way more pleasing to her, which will occasion her stay, and prove of ill Consequence in her obey∣ing you.

Also observe that in the time of her Making (whilst she is on the Ground, Pluming or Feed∣ing) you walk about her, often Feeding her with your Hand, and useing your Voice, which will [ 20] much win upon her, especially if you give her a live Pigeon between the Falconer and the Lure, in a long Creance, that she may kill it near you, and in such manner, that she may truss it over your Head; and by this means, when you come to her from some Distance, she will not be afraid, but delight to come to you; and the neglect of this will make her timerous, so that sometimes she will not only leave her Prey, but forsake you. And there are some Hawks, that will not be ta∣ken [ 30] up without striking or Rapeing in the Creance, which without such a Devise must be the loss of the Hawk, so that the Falconer ought to be ve∣ry careful to Reclaim her from such Vices in her first Making.

To make your Falcon (or indeed any other Long Winged Hawk) a right and perfect Flyer, these following Directions should be observed.

When you have Fed her on the Lure, so that she knoweth it, then begin to Lure her in the [ 40] Creance; and when she will come nimbly and rea∣dily thereto, then Flee her loose; and when she will come nimbly loose, then give her Trayns between the Man and Lure, which is thus to be done; Let your Falconer, or he that holds the Hawk, go at some distance one from the other, (but he that Lures her, must be up the Wind) and when he that carries the Hawk, has drawn her Hood, then begin Lureing, and she (being ac∣quainted with your Voice) will make up to you. [ 50] Then having a Pigeon ready sealed, or a Feather put through her Eye-Lids, to make her look up∣wards; and by this means in three or four times you may venture to stoop the Lure upon her, and let her fly a turn or two over your Head; and then have a Pigeon ready sealed to give her, with a short pair of Creances to, the Pigeons Leg, that if in case your Hawk should be shy, you may hold it, that she can't carry it away.

If your Hawk prove gidy Headed to go at [ 60] Check, and carry her Game with an unwillingness, to let you come in to her, then load her with heavy Bells, and Cope her Beak above and be∣low, to the very Quick; and Sear the Point of her Beak, with a hot Iron till the Blood comes, and this will hinder her from eating that which she gets her self; So that by Degrees she will be fond of your coming in to help her, to meat which you must always shew her, as you come in unto her in your Hand; and in a little time this will Reclaim her of that Roaveing Kytish-trick, of carrying away the Quarry, and make her as aforesaid very fond of you, if duly observed; For when she finds she can't kill of her self through the weightiness of her Bells, nor carry it to eat by reason of her Coping and Searing, she will be willing to come to you. Then having her Sto∣mach sharp set, after a due weathering of about three hours, she being sometime without her Hood, and Water set in a large Pan to see if she will bathe; and if so, then she must continue until she hath dried her self; Then ride with her on your Fist into the Field, and strike her Hood, whistling softly to provoke her to fly, and doubt∣less she will make some motions either to Bate, flap with her Flags and Sails, or advance her self on your Fist, which Motions suffer her to use un∣til she either rouse her self, or mute, and when she hath done either of them unhood her, and let her flee with her Head to the wind, that she may the better get up on the Wing, and she will then na∣turally climb upwards, fleeing round; and when she hath made two or three turns, whoop to her, and when you find her coming in and near you (but not before) cast out your Train into the wind, and if she stoop to it, reward her well with some Bits of clean and sweet Meat.

When your Hawk is perfectly Reclaimed, and throughly made by gentle and fair usage, you may adventure to flee her every day, provided you feed her accordingly: For if you flee upon Rest you shall never have a good Hawk, nor make a good flight; for Rest filleth them with glut, fat and ill humours, which are purged and wrought out by Exercise. Whilst they continue wild they cease not to get their Prey, come what Weather will, fair or foul, Winter or Summer; and certainly it is most natural for them to be so used by us: Howbeit we must observe a due regard to the state and condition in which they are, and that much of their Natures are altered whilst they remain under subjection.

You must be careful to observe the Nature and Disposition of your Hawk at the time of her Luring and Making, and be sure you give her no great scope to fly high or be wild; but hold her down, and near you, in case you find her high minded. Contrariwise some Hawks are so lazy, or fond of their Keeper, that they care not much to stir from him were a Partridge sprung up near her: such Hawks must be quick∣ned by setting a good edge on their Stomach, and training them up by little and little; for the dullest of them are capable of Preying for them∣selves when Wild, and assuredly by Art and Ob∣servation they may be brought to do at least as much for us; They want neither Mettle nor Strength, the only thing is how to set them to work. Those that are dull and lazy ought to be deprived of the assistance of other Hawks, which will be a good way to enforce them to work for themselves; and if they do not yet give you content, do not abridge them of their Reward, but try them further, and by degrees they may

be brought to know their own strength.

When your Falcon is become so familiar and gentle as to sit bare-faced in an Evening amongst Company, then and not before may you adven∣ture to give her a Stone or two over hand, which you may do every other Night until you find her Stomach good, and then you may proffer her Castings, which she will not refuse; but have a great care not to distast her, but let her have it with her own Will and liking, lest she take an [ 10] aversion to it, as some do through their Keepers Indiscretion, and by no means let her Castings be too big.

If you should give her Castings before her Sto∣mach is well prepared by the Stones, it would signifie nothing; for they are as it were the Key of the Work, that the Grease and Glut may be stirred and dissolved, so as to be fitted to pass away in her Mewts downwards, or in her Ca∣stings upwards. [ 20]

The best time of giving Stones is doubtless at Night, until she be throughly clean, and then in the Morning, but not until she hath put away her Supper from above; half a dozen at a time are sufficient, and to do well they should be given above the Hand; but for that every one hath not a ready skill, you may Cast her, and give them so without danger, if it be carefully done. This course must be continued until you give her Plumage in her Luring and Training; [ 30] and then must you add the bending of the Wing, being the short Feathers of the Pinion, with as much clean wa••ht Flannel as will make a rea∣sonable Casting: and remember in using Stones and Casting to observe this old Rhime,

Washt Meat and Stones will c••use a Hawk to fly; Long Fasting and great Casting will cause a Hawk to die. [ 40]

But I shall forbear any more at present con∣cerning Stones and Casting, it being more proper in the Chapter relating to the Diseases and Cures of Hawks.

In Reclaiming the LANNER and LAN∣NERET, be sure to make them well acquaint∣ed with the Lure, which should be garnisht with hard washt Meat, and let her take the greatest part of her Reward in Bits from your hand, and [ 50] be careful to restrain her from dragging or car∣rying any thing away from you, which ill qua∣lity she is much subject unto more than any o∣ther Hawk: For what else relates to the Re∣claiming and Manning of the Lanner, is the same as for the Falcon.

When your Hawk is perfect at the Lure, then spring her up a live Pigeon as she comes in unto you betwixt the Man and the Lure, remembring to tye a long Creance at the Pigeons Feet that [ 60] she may not flee from you, but that the Hawk may Truss her if possible over your Head, or very near you, lest if she kill it at a distance, and take some offence when you come towards her, she forsake both the Prey and you; there∣fore be very careful to prevent her getting any such ill quality at first; for preventing of which be sure to gain her love by making her bold and acquainted with you, as already treated of, and do not deceive her in her Rewards. But if you should have such a Hawk, that notwithstanding all care (as some such there are) will be apt upon the least scope of liberty to turn▪ Tail and leave you: In such case you must somewhat abate her Pride, with respect to the Season of the Year and the Weather; which done, get a Quarry Hawk (that is, an old Well-entred and Reclaimed Hawk) and a couple of live Fowl, and let her see them flown once or twice, and at length when your Quarry Hawk is coming to kill it, be sure to stand under the Wind with her, and let her see the Fowl overthrown, and go into the Quarry; and if▪ she go in with courage, and seize it greedily, make in apace crossing the Fowls Wings, and suf∣fer both the Hawks to take their pleasure a little while together; then take up the Quarry-Hawk gently with clean Meat, and let the young Hawk enjoy the Quarry to her self, keeping on your Knees to assist and please her. You must be very careful that she swallow no Pelf to glut her, but give her clean Meat for her Reward, and let her have her Supper, as she sits on the Fowl, clean washt and well drest.

If you can't have the conveniency of a Quarry-Hawk at first making your Young one, then be sure to cast her off with the most advantage you can of Wind and Stomach, and let her take not too much pains before you shew her the Fowl; and if she doth not make her first nor second stooping right so as to kill, then have in readiness a Tame Fowl as near the colour of the Wild as you can, and therewith take her down before she has too much toiled her self; for many Hawks will take discontent when they find they miss killing their Prey, and so leave their Ma∣ster.

Further Rules for Reclaiming and Man∣ning Hawks, and entring them to be acquainted with the Spaniels.

IN Reclaiming and Manning your Hawk re∣member, that Haste makes Waste, and he that boasteth of his Art in making her ready to flee in a Month or sooner (as some such there are) I hold him very indiscreet, and little understands the nature and conditions of her; for it is im∣possible to bring her to perfection but by de∣grees, as first he must abate her Flesh, and if then you offer to Flee her before she is in her Pride and lusty again, she is for ever spoiled; besides she must have some teaching to come as well go, and she must be acquainted not only with the Dogs in general, but with those in par∣ticular that are to be used about her.

He that offereth to Flee her whilst she is poor and low, shall never have her free from Diseases, nor can he receive any content in her, as being not able to make a good flight; and to Flee her before she is acquainted with the Dogs, as well as her Keeper, may go whistle after her, and not be Master of her in haste.

It hath been already said, That whilst you endeavour to Reclaim your Hawk, you should divide one Meals Meat into three parts, and to seed her the oftner; and now when she is Re∣claimed, you must increase her Meals somewhat every day. You are to have a great care that during the time of Reclaiming she doth not soar up too high, and that she be throughly En∣seamed before you Flee any Fowl with her, be she Eyish, Brancher, Ramage, or Mewed-Hawk, lest [ 10] peradventure she soar out of sight and be lost. Also observe, that during the time your Hawks Feet continue blackish and rough, she is full of Grease and Glut; for as she Enseameth her Feet will become yellow and smooth, and when they are very yellow and smooth, she is perfectly En∣seamed: But this is better known by her Castings and Stones, especially after any laborious flight, when her Castings and Stones will be greasy and slimy, and her Mewts will be soul and dis∣coloured. [ 20]

In teaching your Hawk to Flee to the Field, it is good to have other Falconers to assist you with their Hawks, and to do well the Hawks should be tyed to the ground to prevent their taking Wing before their time. Nor do not bring her into the Field to Flee until she is well acquainted with the Spaniels, and the better to effect the same observe these Directions. Feed her always in the midst of the Dogs, and when she is bold [ 30] ever and anon throw a Pigeon in a short Creance amongst the thickest of the Dogs, suffering her to Quarry amongst them and to Plume for a while; then take her up to your Fist with some Stump, and soon after cast out the Pigeon again and again, until you find she is bold and ventures amongst them, and with your Whip lash the Dogs, now and then crying, Ware Hawk, ware, which will much encourage her; and when she is come to this pass you may venture to Flee her. [ 40] And for the preventing these ill qualities that Hawks are subject unto, at first train her up well, and for the effecting of which observe these Di∣rections: Provide three or four hand Partridges, if possible, or for want thereof live Pigeons, and have the assistance of a Man or two, with one or two Couple of Staunch Spaniels, choose a plain large Field in which there is not above two or three Bushes; let one of the Men take the Dogs with him, and beat the Bush or Brake, making [ 50] a noise to the Dogs that the Hawk may see, hear and observe it well; then let him dexterously throw off the Partridge or Pigeon, so as she may suppose it to have sprung out of the Bush, your self holding the Hawk to the most advan∣tage; and at the time of throwing off the Par∣tridge or Pigeon, cry Gaze ho, which using fre∣quently will make her observe her Game and opportunity. By this Artifice there is no doubt but that she will go off with Mettle, especially [ 60] if you bring her to a right sharp Stomach. You must be vigilant and quick to make in after her, that she may receive no fright by the coming in of the Dogs, or the like; and your Spaniels be∣ing got near about her, reach her to break the Head in her Foot, and to eat it on the ground; and when she hath made an end thereof, and begins to look about her, be provided with the Wing of a Pigeon, and let her jump to your Fist, and feed thereon.

For her Supper, you should prepare good fresh Meat of Pigeons or other Feathered Fowl, which must be well and clean drest. This course should be observed with four or five Partridges in seve∣ral Afternoons, with some advantage to your Hawk in her going off; but every day less and less, that she groweth not lazy; for should you at the first hand use her to kill whatever she flies at with ease, and at the Sowce, she will expect to be so treated, and perhaps refuse to fly after any that are sprung at a distance from her, but cast her Regards another way, as being lazy.

Some Hawks at first entrance, if they fly a Partridge hard to the Covert, and take it not at the first flight, will set on the Ground losing the advantage of getting upon some Stand, whereby she will never see the Partridge again at the Re∣trieve. This for a short Winged Hawk; but if for a long Winged one, and that she fall to the Ground, then let the Falconer shew her the Pi∣geon and Lure to make her take to her Wings, and then call the Spaniels to a Retrieve. Now to prevent this Jadish trick, make into her with the Dogs, having first called them off: And for a short winged Hawk shew her some Meat, and take her to your Fist, or make her take her stand in a Tree.

Rules to Reclaim Hawks brought from the Cage, and how to Hood them.

WHen you get any Hawk that is brought from the Cage, you must proceed with her in a different way from the former; for she must be Reclaimed in this sort. Give her at least three weeks carriage in her Rufter-hood, always stroaking and playing with her, at first with a Feather, and then with your hand very gently. You must feed her with clean wash't Meat (which must be warm, and for the most part feathered Meat) all the time, which will bring her the soon∣er to a good Stomach, and to be well pleased and gentle, which you may discern by her listining to your voice, by her chirping, her eager feeding, or the like, (this to be done within three or four days after your first taking her to the Fist, by which means she will thrive much the better, and come sooner to a Stomach;) then wash her all o∣ver with water and pepper prepared for that pur∣pose some Evening, or which is better, smoak her with Tobacco when she is empty.

Having thus prepared her, and being provided with another Hood, take off her Rufter-hood, and as she groweth dry put on the Hood, and give her a Bit or two of Meat to please and refresh her. And thus you may continue for some hours hooding and unhooding her, Rewarding her with the best Meat you can get, until she is throughly dry, and then set her down bare-faced, permitting her to take two or three hours rest in some warm place, and on a dry Perch, to prevent colds and the cramp, which at such times they are subject unto: Then when you come next unto her, let

your voice give her notice of your approach, that she be not surprized with fear or distast, and let her see you come with Meat, but give her none until she is hooded; and use her so for some time, that you may bring her to a liking of her Hood, which she will soon do when she finds that the putting it on ushers in Meat. All this while di∣vide one meals Meat into three, feeding her oft∣ner; and be sure in this interval to observe her Nature and Temper, and accordingly guide your [ 10] self: For it is not a Work of less than a large Vo∣lume to give particular Directions for the tem∣peratures, &c. of every sort of Hawk. These which are here laid down, with your own Rea∣son and particular Experience, may suffice.

Now for as much as I am fallen on this Dis∣course of Hooding, I hold it not amiss once for all to give you this Direction and Caveat; you ought to be exceeding careful in Reclaiming her to take her Hood. You have already laid down [ 20] some Directions how to preserve her from this ill vice, it will not be amiss to give you one how to remedy it, although she were almost quite spoiled through ill usuage and bobbing. You must be provided with a Hood of some light colour, as Green, Red, or Yellow, which hang on your little Finger of the same Hand whereon you carry your Hawk, and let it hang so that it may be al∣ways in her sight, especially at such times as you seed her. This do for about a Week, or un∣til [ 30] you find her acquainted with it so well as to search through the Hood for the Meat. If you interpose it when she doth this boldly, you may then sometimes essay to bear a little hard with the Hood against her Head, by which means she will in about a Month come to Hood and Vnhood her self, as often as you please. And whereas before you used to restrain her from eating, let her now eat moderately when she is Hooded, and never but then; nor should you take off her [ 40] Hood until feeding time: And remember you use not this course with any Hawk until her Stomach be perfectly come to her, if it be a Hawk taken out of the Mew, And of all others, you ought to be most careful, as to this point, in handling your Goshawk, for she is (as already said) very nice and coy, and apt to take offence, and withal hard to be reconciled and reclaimed, but by degrees and by gentle and soft usage you may overcome the worst natured Hawk that is. [ 50]

To help a Hawk that is coy and fearful.

IN case your Hawk is coy and fearful, so as not to indure the sight or noise of Strangers, Pas∣sengers, Horses, or the like, you ought to consi∣der from whence this happens, which doubtless is from her Keepers not rightly Reclaiming her: For although all Hawks do this by Nature, yet by Art they are brought to leave it; and it is [ 60] easier to Reclaim two Casts of young wild Hawks than one manned Hawk that hath been ill handled in her first making.

Before you begin to practise on such a Hawk, carry her a day or two upon your Fist, and when through watching and manning, she hath a sharp Stomach, and withal is somewhat gentle, repair to some place where there is a great resort of Peo∣ple, as at a Bowling-Green, or the like; then put her into a pair of Creances, set her on a Man's Fist, and let her jump to a Catch, and there pass away the time in this manner with her every day as oft as you can for some Weeks, now and then practising it at the end of some great Town on a Market-day where People pass, permitting her to sport and play on the Catch: And by often practising this way, you may bring her off from that ill quality whereunto she was addicted through the fault of her former Keeper.

There are some Hawks that will not flee with others, but draw backwards: There are also o∣thers that Bind with every Hawk, and so flee for the purpose: And others again do hate either to flee or set with any others, which is occasion∣ed either through fear, or for want of love to them. For the helping this ill quality, get a gen∣tle Lanner, being an old and true made Hawk, which set on the same Perch with the other Hawk by day, but at a good distance, then give each a bit of Meat as you pass by them, and so by degrees set them a little nearer together, and when you find it convenient, put some Meat between them that both may seed together. If your Hawk makes any motion to Crab with the Lanner, gorge her up at Night with good Meat, and set her on a Perch abroad in the cold, (pro∣vided she be in good plight, and able to indure it) and let her set their three or four hours, and hold the Lanner near the Fire; then bring in the other Hawk hooded, and hold her close to the Lanner, and when she finds the comfortable heat receiv∣ed from her she vvill dravv nearer and nearer un∣to her. Let them thus stand together until she seem very desirous to Jouk, then unhood her gent∣ly, and let them both stand close together all Night, and in the Morning set them on the Perch near together, but not to reach; and continue to do in the Evening as aforesaid: And about the fourth or fifth Night you may adventure to set them both out in the cold on the same Perch, so as they may come to each other for vvarmness. And vvhen she is thus brought to love Company, you may unhood them, Feed, Perch, and Lure them to∣gether.