GOSH A WKS 329 



into woods to breed. From the ' Colloquium ' of Archbishop 

 ^Elfric, written about A.D. 995,' it would appear that the practice 

 of Saxon falconer^ was regularly to turn their hawks in the 

 spring into the woods, and to take the young at the end of the 

 summer. With birds like the goshawks, which are not greatly 

 inclined to stray from where they can get food, we can well 

 believe that this plan might answer. 



In the ' Paston Letters,' edited by Mr. Gairdner, a corre- 

 spondence is given between John Paston the younger and his 

 elder brother, in which the younger man prays the elder : 



' I axe no more gods of yow for all the servyse that I shall 

 do yow whyll the world standyth butagosshawke.' After some 

 further correspondence his desire seems to have been granted, 

 but alas ! 



She hathe ben so brooseid with cariage of fewle that she is as 

 good as lame in both hyr leggys, as every man may se at iee. 

 Wherfor all syche folk as have seen hyr avyse me to cast hyr in to 

 some wood wher as I wyl.l have her to eyer,'but I wyll do ther in as 

 ye wyll, wheder ye wyll I send hyr yow agen or cast her in Thorpe 

 wood and a tarsell with hyr for I weit wher on is. 



This practice was therefore known, if not common, in 1472, 

 but we cannot find an account of the goshawk having bred in 

 England within the last century. 



There is little difficulty in procuring nestlings from France, 

 Germany, or Norway now, though if it be possible to find a 

 keeper skilful enough to snare the young birds some months 

 after they have flown, it is worth while to pay an extra price for 

 them. Goshawks average in value about 5/., females being 

 wOrth considerably more than males ; they do not require to 

 be flown at hack. 



The training of short-winged hawks is not difficult, as 

 they are hardy and easily managed, but it is a laborious task, 

 and requires time to accomplish, nor is it very easy to get a gos- 

 hawk into such condition that she will fly well and keenly. They 



1 See also the Introduction by J. E. Harting to ' The Perfect Booke for 

 kepinge of Sparhawks, 1575,' printed by B. Quaritch, 1886. 



