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.

A Flight for a Falcon to the River.

WHen your Hawk will fly, jump, and come in at your Lure, then she is fit to go to the River; and to manage your Flight observe these Directions: When you have found where [ 50] the Fowl lies, then go about a quarter of a Mile up in the Wind to the River side, and whistle off your Hawks, loosing their Hoods, and let them fly with their Heads in the Wind, for there must be a Cast of Hawks for this Flight. Then let the Falconers, or others that are at the sport, strike their Poles in the Water to cause the Hawks to come in unto you and own the River; and when they are got up into their places, then let one of the Falconers ride down to shew the [ 60] Fowl, and when the Hawks have made their stooping, and have ennued the Fowl, then go off from the River again; and when the Hawks have made good their places, then let one of the Falconers go below the Fowl, that is, down the sover; and the other that is above, let him come down and shew the Fowl again, and by that means the Fowl will be crost over Land, that the Hawks may make a fair stooping, and knocking the Fowl on the Land will occasion the killing it, which will Quarry your Hawks.

But if they should miss their Stooping, so as the Fowl may get to the River again, then your Hawks must go to their Wings to make good their flight; but if the Fowl should go to plung, then take down your Hawks, lest you should fly them too long, and the Faulconers with their Spears or Poles may endeavour to Spear or kill the Fowl, which take to Quarry the Hawks with.

If they kill not the Fowl at first stooping, give them respit to recover their place; and when they are at their place again and their Heads in, lay out the Fowl as before directed, and Reward them well if they kill.

You should do well to have a live Duck in your Hawking-Bag, that if they kill not the Fowl which is stooped (as oft-times it happens) than your Hawks being at their pitch and their Heads in, you may throw to your Hawks and Reward them; and by this means you shall always keep your Hawks in good life and blood, and to be Inwards.