108 FALCON. 



The great love our ancestors* had for falconry is testified hy 

 very many writers of former days, although now nearly left otF, or 

 at least followed only by a very few, more as a matter of curiosity 

 than otherwise. Not so in 1472, when a Goshawk was thought a 

 sufficient remuneration for most essential services, as may be seen in 

 the Paston Letters,^ where we find, that this bird was not always 

 to be procured in this country, but more likely to be had at Calais, 

 in France — yet it probably breeds in England, as it is known to 

 do now in Scotland. 



The history, laws, rales, and observations on falconiy and 

 falconers, may be learned from Turbeville, Carcanus, Latham, and 

 others, who have written on this subject, as also may be seen in 

 Willughby's Ornithology, and other English authors. 



To ascertain the owner of a hawk, a ring was put over the 

 closed claws, while young, with an inscription, and one of these is 

 represented in the Archaeologia. J It is there observed, that although 

 hawking is no longer considered as one of our field sports, yet, in 

 most of the modem leases, a clause is generally still found, reserving 

 to the landlord the free liberty of hunting, hawking, fowling, &c. 



During the time when falconry was the recreation of those who 

 could bear the expense of the sport, the birds used on the occasion 

 were much valued ;§ and I have now before me a London Gazette, 

 Thursday, April 21 to 25, 1581, in which is the following adver- 

 tisement : " Lost on the 5th instant of his Majesties, a Tarsell 

 Gentle, with the King's Vanels on, the hind pounce of the field 

 foot lost. Lost between Hounslow Heath and Eaidenhead — who-r 



* Hawkino-, used by the Anglo-Saxons.-^See an old print to this purport in Strutt^s View 

 of the Customs and Manners of the Inhabitants of England, vol. i. p. 12 — from Tib. B. v, a 

 Saxon Calendar. 



t Vol. ii. p. 109. t Vol. xii. p. 414. pi. 51. f. 7. 



§ In the Mem. d' Agriculture, ^c. it is mentioned, that a Falcon of the King of France was 

 let loose at a woodcock, in Paris. They flew to Malta, and were both found dead there within 

 twenty-four hours. 



