58 HAWK'S TRAPPINGS. 



" There is, sir, an aiery of children, little eyases, that cry 



out." 



Hamlet, Act ii. Sc. 2. 



By some falconers " haggards " were also called " pas- 

 sage hawks," from being always caught when in that state, 

 at the time of their periodical passage or migration. As 

 will be seen hereafter, the word " haggard " occurs fre- 

 quently throughout the Plays. 



The " jesses " were two narrow strips of leather, fastened 

 one to each leg, the other ends being attached to a swivel, 

 from which depended the " leash." When the hawk was 

 flown, the swivel and leash were taken off, the jesses and 

 bells remaining on the bird. 



Some of the old falconers' directions on these points 

 are very quaint. Turbervile, in his " Book of Falconrie," 

 1575, speaking of the trappings of a hawk, says : " Shee 

 must haue jesses of leather, the which must haue knottes 

 at the ende, and they should be halfe a foote long, or 

 there about ; at the least a shaftmeete betweene the 

 hoose of the jesse, and the knotte at the ende, whereby 

 you tye the hauke." 



