HAWKING TERMS. 51 



Card. I thought as much ; he'd be above the clouds. 



***** 



Believe me, cousin Gloster, 



Had not your man put up the fowl so suddenly, 

 We had had more sport." 



" Flying at the brook " is synonymous with " hawking 

 by the river," and shows us that the party were in pursuit 

 of water-fowl. Chaucer speaks of 



" Ryding on, hawking by the river, 

 With grey goshawk in hand." 



"Point" The fluttering or hovering over the spot 

 where the " quarry " has been " put in." 



"Pitch" The height to which a hawk rises before 

 swooping. 



" How high a. pitch his resolution soars !" 



Richard II. Act i. Sc. i . 



" Tower" A common expression in falconry, signifying 

 to rise spirally to a height. Compare the French " tour? 

 The word occurs again in Macbeth, Act ii. Sc. 4, with 

 reference to a fact which we might well be excused for 

 doubting, did we not know that it was related as an 

 unusual circumstance : 



" On Tuesday last, 



A falcon, tow' ring in her pride of place, 

 Was by a mousing owl hawk'd at and kill'd." 



