174 EEMINISCEXCES OF A SPOETSMAN. 



hand, and a dog under his arm ; and in an ancient 

 picture of the marriage of Henry VI. a nobleman is 

 represented in the same manner ; for in those days " it 

 was thought sufficient for noblemen to winde their horn, 

 and to carry their hawk fair^ and leave study and learning 

 to the monks and clergy." 



We learn from the book of St. Alban's that every 

 degree had its peculiar hawk, from the emperor do^vn to 

 the holy-water clerk. Vast was the expense that some- 

 times attended this sport. In the reign of James I., 

 Sir Thomas Monson gave 1 OOOZ. for a cast of hawks* : 

 we are not then to wonder at the rigour of the laws made 

 to preserve a sport that was carried to such an extrava- 

 gant pitch, resembling in this respect the present battae 

 shooting. 



In the 34th of Edward III. it was made felony to steal 

 a hawk ; to take its eggs, even out of a person's own 

 ground, was punishable with imprisonment for a year 

 and a day, besides a fine at the king's pleasure. In 

 Queen Elizabeth's reign the imprisonment was reduced 

 to three months ; but the offender must find security for 

 seven years, or be in prison till he did. In Doomsday 

 Book a hawk is considered among the most valuable 

 articles of property, which proves the high estimation 

 these birds were held in at the commencement of the 

 Norman government. No persons but such as were of 

 the highest rank were permitted, under the Norman 

 government, to keep hawks, as appears from a clause 

 inserted in the Forest Charter. This charter King John 

 was compelled to sign ; and by it, the privilege was given 

 to every freeman to have eyries of hawks, sparrow hawks, 

 falcons, eagles, and herons in his own woods. In the 

 34th year of the reign of Edward III. a statute was made 

 * About 2000/. of the present money. 



