HAWKIXG CEKEMOXIALS. 179 



INIoody, wlio was near at hand, seen the accident, leaped 

 into the ditch, and released his iNIajesty from his perilous 

 situation ; and so says the historian, " Grod of his good- 

 nesse preserved him." 



When men of high rank travelled to different parts of 

 Europe they carried with them their hawks ; sometimes, 

 even when they went to battle ; and it is related that 

 such was their attachment to a favourite bird that when 

 made prisoners they would not part ynth their hawk to 

 obtain their liberty.* These birds were considered 

 ensigns of nobility ; and no action could be considered 

 more dishonorable to a man of rank than to give up his 

 hawk. Thomas a Becket had hounds and hawks of every 

 kind with him when he went to the court of France. 

 Froissart says that the Earl of Flanders was always at 

 the river, where his falconer cast off one falcon after the 

 heron, and the Earl another. We may also mention 

 that the ladies not only accompanied the gentlemen in 

 pursuit of this diversion, but often practised it them- 

 selves. 



The following is an account of the ceremony observed 

 in former times in Persia, when the great falconer of the 

 Shah jiresented a well-trained falcon to his Majesty. 



" He dressed himself in the richest apparel, over which 

 he threw the magnificent badges of his office, and walked, 

 accompanied by all his inferior officers, to present it to 

 his sovereign. The Sophi, advertised of his coming, 

 received him sitting on his throne, surrounded with many 

 a prostrate lord, and took the noble bird on his fist, where 

 he surveyed her with looks of joyous satisfaction. The 



* If a gallant vrere in prison he -would draw falcons on the -wall ; if 

 in court or in church, he would bear them on his glove ; if in the grave 

 they would be figured on his tombstone. 



