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THey who have wrote of this Art have di∣vided the several sorts of Hawks after a various manner; some assigning ten sorts, others eight or nine, and others but seven. In this Treatise I shall speak of those in use amongst us in this Kingdom, which are the best for any Game, either for River or Land.
These Hawks may be comprehended under these two general Heads, viz. Long-winged Hawks,
and Short-winged Hawks; and the rather for that all Long-winged Hawks require much of the same reclaiming, manning, feeding and mewing the one as the other; the like doth those that art Short-winged, which differeth much from the Long-winged. The Long-winged Hawks are the Fa••l∣con, or Slight-Faulcon, the Gerfaulcon, Lanner, Bawrel, Merlin and Hobby.
The Short-winged are the Goshawk and the Spar∣row-hawk. [ 10]
And note that all Long-winged Hawks are brought to the Lure, and Short-winged ones to the hand.
All these Hawks have their Males or Tassels, which are nothing near so strong, large and fit for Service; yet are they of very good courage, and serviceable, especially the Jerkin, Tassel Gen∣tle, and Tassel of a Goshawk, and sometimes sur∣passes the Females. And these Tassels have names appropriate to them; viz. The [ 20]
All these Hawks have these Names, viz. Eyesses, [ 30] Branchers, Romage or Soar-Hawks, Lentiners, Hag∣gards, and Entermewed Haggards.
She is called an Eyess, for being taken out of the Nest and bred up by hand in a Room. There is another Eyess, and that is also taken out of the Nest, but bred up at Hack, that is, by bringing her up, and to let her fly at pleasure, observing a certain place to feed her at, making there a Nest for her; and this sort so bred up is called a Tackler or Hack-Hawk, which generally proves [ 40] the best.
She is called a Brancher, being taken when she is but able to hop from Bough to Bough: And this Term properly belongs to Short-winged Hawks.
When she can flee and prey for her self, then she is a Ramage or Soar-Hawk.
A Soar-Hawk taken about Lent following, is properly called a Lentiner, but being taken in hot weather generally is short liv'd. [ 50]
If taken after Lent, she is properly called a Haggard; and when she hath preyed for her self a year, and hath mewed most of her Feathers, she is called an Intermewed Haggard.
There are other names to be observed for Hawks, viz. the first year she is a Soar or Ra∣mage Hawk•• the second an Intermewer; the third a White Hawk, then a Hawk of the first Coat, and every year a Hawk of such a Coat, as the se∣cond, third, fourth, or the like, so long as she li∣veth. [ 60]
The Male of an Eyess, is an Eyess Tassel; of a Brancher, a Brancher Tassel; of a Lentiner, a Lentiner Tassel; of the Soar or Ramage-Hawk, the Soar Tassel; and of a Haggard, the Haggard Tassel.
According to these diversity of names and times a Hawk is to be esteemed; for by how much the later you take her, by so much the more difficult will she be to be reclaimed and manned, as being the more Haggardly, or wilder of Na∣ture, but being well manned, doth make the best Hawk for the Field.
An Eyrie of Hawks consists of sometimes more, sometimes less, four or five being a good Eyrie, and seldom more.
The Males of Hawks are to be observed; the first year they are of a reddish Plume, after they have mewed they are blewish, and the older they are the blewer and whiter is the Male; and 'tis observed, that the white Male proves the best conditioned; the dark maled is brave metled, but subject to Crowing, that is, to fly at Crows.
The earlier a Hawk is hatched in the year, the redder, brisker and livelier will her eyes be, (which is her excellency, and sheweth a good Hawk) and one to be in health; for when she is sick her eyes will be pale and wan.
Thus having given some general Heads of the several sorts of Hawks now in use amongst us, in the next place I shall treat of each Hawk a∣part; and first with Long-winged Hawks, and then the Gerfaulcon requires the first place.