THE JESSES. 59 



In the modern "jesse," however, there are no knots. It 

 is fastened in this wise. The leg of the hawk is placed 

 against the "jesse," between the slits A and B. The end A 

 is then passed through the slit B, and the end C in turn 

 through the slit A. The swivel, with its dependent leash, is 

 then attached to slit C ; and the same with the other leg. 



Othello says : 



" I 'd whistle her off, and let her down the wind, 

 To prey at fortune." 



Falconers always flew their hawk against the wind. If 

 flown down the wind, she seldom returned. When, there- 

 fore, a useless bird was to be dismissed, her owner flew 

 her " down the wind ; " and thenceforth she shifted for her- 

 self, and was said " to prey at fortune." 



The word " haggard," as before observed, is of frequent 

 occurrence throughout the Plays of Shakespeare. In the 

 Taming of the Shrew (Act iv. Sc. 2), Hortensio speaks of 

 Bianca as "this proud disdainful haggard" In Much Ado 

 about Nothing (Act iii. Sc. i), Hero, alluding to Beatrice, 

 says 



" I know, her spirits are as coy and wild 

 As haggards of the rock." 



In Twelfth Night (Act iii. Sc. i), Viola says of the 

 Clown : 



" This fellow 's wise enough to play the fool ; 

 And to do that well craves a kind of wit : 



