278 EEMIXISCEXCES OF A SPOKTSMAX. 



Of the Manning, Luring, Flights, and Mewing of 

 A Falcon, with othek things belonging to an 



OSTRAGER. 



A newly-taken hawk or haggard ought to have all 

 new furniture, as new jesses of good leather, mailed 

 leashes with buttons on the end, and new bewits. You 

 must have a small round stick-like wire, hanging in a 

 string, with which you must frequently stroke your 

 hawk ; the sooner and better you will man her the 

 oftener you do it. She must have two good bells, that 

 she may the better be found and heard when she either 

 strieth or scratteth. Her hood must be well fashioned, 

 raised and bossed against her eyes, deep and yet straight 

 enough beneath, that it may better fasten about her 

 head without hurting her, and cope a little her beak 

 and talons, but not so near as to make them bleed. The 

 food for the hawk should be good and warm, twice or 

 thrice a day, till she be full gorged, which food must be 

 either pigeons, larks, or other live birds ; and the reason 

 is, because you must break her by degrees from her 

 accustomed feeding. When you feed her you must 

 whoop and lure her, as you do when you call a hawk, 

 that she may know when you give her meat. You must 

 unhood her gently, giving her two or three bits ; and 

 putting on her hood again, you must give her as much 

 more : and after three or four days, lessen her diet, and 

 when you go to bed set her on some perch near you, 

 that you may awaken her often in the night. This you 

 must do till you observe her tame and gentle; and 

 when you find that she begins to feed eagerly, then 

 give her a sheep's heart ; and now you may begin to 

 unhood her by daytime, but it must be far from com- 

 pany, first giving her a bit or two, then hood her 



