INTRODUCTION. 26 



but so soon as the Saxons obtained a foothold on the soil, 

 hunting with well-trained hounds, and the pursuit of fowls, 

 " along the atmosphere," by means of reclaimed falcons, 

 became at once a science, a systematized royal recreation, 

 and in the end, as it has continued to this day, wherever 

 the Saxon and Norman strains of blood are extant, a popu- 

 lar passion. 



During the reigns of the Saxon monarchs, to such an 

 extent was this sport carried by the nobles, that " the 

 sportsmen in the train of the great were so onerous on 

 lands, as to make the exemption of their visit a valuable 

 privilege ; hence a king liberates some lands from those 

 who carry with them hawks or falcons, horses or dogs." * 

 At the same time, so general had the taste become, that 

 statutes were framed, and even the church interposed its 

 censures, to prevent its abuse or misapplication. " Hunt- 

 ing f was forbidden by Canute on a Sunday. Every man 

 was allowed to hunt in the woods, and in the fields that 

 were his own, but not to interfere with the king's hunting." 

 The increase and prevalence of this recreation may be 

 judged of, by the fact, that the " Saxon Boniface J pro- 

 hibited his monks from hunting in the woods with dogs, 

 and from having hawks and falcons. " Even that weak, 

 impassive, priest-ridden, half-monk king, Edward the Con- 

 fessor, had lt one earthly enjoyment in which he chiefly 

 delighted, which was hunting with fleet hounds, whose 

 opening in the woods he used with pleasure to encourage ; 

 and again, with the pouncing of birds, whose nature it is 



* History of the Anglo Saxons. Sharon Turner, 3, 38. 

 t Ibid. 3, 37. J Ibid. 3, 38. 



