126 HAWKING. 



when pursuing his Hawk at Hitchen, in Hertfordshire, at- 

 tempted, with the assistance of his pole, to jump over a wide 

 ditch, full of muddy water, but the pole unfortunately break- 

 ing, the king fell head over ears into the thick mud, where he 

 might have been suffocated had not one of his attendants, seeing 

 the accident, leaped into the ditch after his royal master, and 

 pulled him out. 



No pains were spared in breaking-in the Hawks, as 

 much of their value depended on their docility, derived 

 from good and careful training. The young birds, when 

 taken out of the nest, or sometimes caught by traps, as 

 soon as they began to fly, were put into linen bags, with 

 openings for the head and tail, that they might be brought 

 home without injury. A hood or cap was then placed over 

 its eyes, and for a day or two the bird was left to itself. 

 After which it was placed quietly on the fist, carried up and 

 down the whole day, and gently stroked with a feather. 

 Having been, in some degree, tamed by this treatment, and 

 accustomed to handling, the hood was taken on and off 

 quickly, till it was willing to feed. Meat was then offered, 

 and the hood removed, the falconer making a particular call 

 at the same time, which was invariably used whenever it 

 was fed, but on no other occasion, that it might become 

 acquainted with the voice of its feeder. It was then taught 

 to alight upon the fist from a perch, being still hood-winked, 

 and receive its food ; this was called luring the Hawk. 

 When it was so far tamed as to come readily when called, 

 it was allowed to remain unhooded, and then put to the 

 lure, an artificial bird, made of feathers and leather, thrown 

 up into the air. To this a live Pigeon or dead Chicken 

 was fastened, part of which it was permitted to seize and 

 eat ; during this part of training it was prevented from 

 escaping by a long string. When quite familiar with the 

 lure, it was taught to fly at live game, chiefly by means of 

 a Duck, which was blind-folded that it might not escape. 

 The natural disposition of the Hawk would induce it to 

 carry off its game, when caught, but this was checked by 

 the skill and kind treatment of the falconer, so that the 



