360 Mr. James Edmund Hartlng [May 1, 



hawking, and allowing her to roam too far from the castle. He died 

 at the age of 80, in 1587, and was buried at Standon, where a noble 

 monument is erected to his memory. [His portrait, reproduced in 

 facsimile from the original by Gerhardt in possession of Sir John 

 Astley, Bart., is here exhibited.] 



James I., as is well known, was an enthusiastic sportsman, and 

 especially delighted in hawking, on which amusement he spent 

 considerable sums annually, as may be seen by the entries of pay- 

 ments made during this reign, printed in Devon's " Issues of the 

 Exchequer." [His portrait, after Vandyke, is here exhibited.] 



It was in this reign that Sir Thomas Monson, who succeeded Sir 

 Ealph Sadler as Eoyal Falconer, was said to have given lOOOZ. for a 

 cast of falcons — a story which has been repeatedly told in print, 

 but which is altogether based upon a misapprehension of the facts, 

 which are correctly stated by Sir Antony Weldon in his " Court and 

 Character of King James," 1650 ; the truth being that Sir Thomas 

 Monson spent 1000/. before he succeeded in getting a cast 

 of falcons that were perfect for flying at the kite ; and this he 

 might very well have done, seeing that he would have to send to 

 Norway or Iceland for gerfalcons. [Picture exhibited of kite- 

 hawking with gerfalcons, from the original by Joseph Wolf in the 

 possession of Lord Lilford.] 



These were the palmy days of Falconry, when the sovereigns on 

 both sides of the Channel were enthusiastic falconers, and when the 

 best books on the subject were written by English and French 

 masters of the craft. [Turbervile, Latham, and Bert; Jean de 

 Franchieres and Charles d'Arcussia.] 



All the Stuarts were fond of hawking, but after the Restoration 

 the sport ceased to be popular. The causes which led to its decline 

 were many and various. The disastrous state of the (Country during 

 the period of the civil wars naturally put an end for the time being 

 to the general indulgence in field sj)orts. The inclosure of waste 

 lands, the drainage and cultivation of marshes, the great improve- 

 ment in fire-arms, and particularly the introduction of shot, all 

 contributed to lessen the interest once so universally taken in 

 this sjjort. Fashion also, no doubt, had a good deal to do with the 

 decline of hawking, for so soon as the reigning sovereign ceased 

 to take an interest in the sport, the courtiers and their friends 

 followed suit. Nevertheless, it never really died out, and from 

 that time to the present it has never ceased to be practised by a 

 few admirers of the old sport iji various parts of the country, and 

 during the last few years signs have not been wanting of its increasing 

 popularity. 



The birds used by falconers belong to two classes, the long-winged 

 dark-eyed falcons, such as the Peregrine, Jerfalcon, Hobby, and Merlin, 

 and the short-winged yelloic-eyed hawks, such as the Goshawk and 

 Sparrowhawk. [Stuffed specimens of all these, with their hoods, 

 jesses, leashes, bells, &c , exhibited on a perch.] 



