the art of training all manner of hawks, but more especially the larger ones called falcons, to the exercise of hawking. See HAWKING.
When a falcon is taken, she must be fedded in such a manner, that, as the feeling slackens, she may see what provision lies before her; but care ought to be taken, not to feel her too hard. A falcon or hawk newly taken should have all new furniture, as new jesses of good leather, mailed leafes with buttons at the end, and new bewets. There should also be provided a small round stick, to stroke the hawk; because, the sooner this is done, the sooner and better will she be manned. She must also have two good bells, that she may be found when she scattereth. Her hood should be well fashioned, raised, and embossed against her eyes, deep, and yet strait enough beneath, that it may fasten about her head without hurting her; and her beak and talons must be a little coped, but not so near as to make them bleed.
If it be a foar-falcon, which hath already passed the seas, she will indeed be harder to reclaim, but will prove the best of falcons. Her food must be good and warm, and given her twice or thrice a-day, till she be full gorged; the best for this purpose is pigeons, larks, or other live birds; because she must be broken off by degrees from her accustomed feeding. When she is fed, you must hoop and lure, as you do when you call a hawk, that she may know when you intend to give her meat. On this occasion she must be unhooded gently; and after giving her two or three bits, her hood must be put on again, when she is to get two or three bits more. Care must be taken that she be close fed; and after three or four days, her diet may be lessened: the falconer setting her every night to perch by him, that he may awaken her often in the night. In this manner he must proceed, till he find her to grow tame and gentle; and when he begins to feed eagerly, he may give her a sheep's heart. He may now begin to unhood her in the day-time; but it must be far from company, first giving her a bit or two, then hooding her gently, and giving her as much more. When she is sharp set, he may now unhood her, and give her some meat just against his face and eyes, which will make her less afraid of the countenances of others. She must be borne continually on the fist, till she is properly manned, causing her to feed in company, giving her in the morning, about sun-rise, the wing of a pullet; and in the evening, the foot of a hare or coney, cut off above the joint, steamed and laid in water, which being squeezed, is to be given her with the pinion of a hen's wing. For two or three days give her washed meat, and then plumage in more or less quantity as she is thought to be more or less foul within. After this, being hooded again, she is to get nothing till she has gleamed and cast, when a little hot meat may be given her in company; and, towards evening, she may be allowed to plume a hen's wing in company also. Cleanse the feathers of her casting, if foul and flimsy; if she be clean within, give her gentle castings; and when she is reclaimed, manned, and made eager and sharp set, he may venture to feed her on the lure.
However, three things are to be considered before the lure be showed her, 1. That she be bold and familiar in company, and not afraid of dogs and horses. 2. Sharp set and hungry, having regard to the hour of morning and evening, when you would lure her. 3. Clean within, and the lure well garnished with meat on both sides; and when you intend to give her the length of a leash, you must abscond yourself. She must also be unhooded, and have a bit or two given her on the lure as she fits on your fit; afterwards take the lure from her, and hide it that she may not see it; and when she is unfeeled, cast the lure so near her, that she may catch it within the length of her leash, and as soon as she has seized it, use your voice as falconers do, feeding her upon the lure, on the ground, with the heart and warm thigh of a pullet.
Having so lured your falcon, give her but little meat in the evening; and let this luring be so timely, that you may give her plumage, and a juck of a joint next morning on your first. When she has cast and gleamed, give her a little reaching of warm meat. About noon, tie a creance to her leash; and going into the field, there give her a bit or two upon her lure; then unwind the creance, and draw it after you a good way; and let him who has the bird hold his right hand on the tassel of her hood, ready to unhood her as soon as you begin to lure; to which if she come well, floop roundly upon it, and hastily seize it, let her cast two or three bits thereon. Then, unfeeling and taking her off the lure, hood her and give her to the man again; and, going farther off, lure and feed her as before.
In this manner is the falconer to proceed, luring her every day farther and farther off, till she is accustomed to come freely and eagerly to the lure; after which she may be lured in company, taking care that nothing affright her. When she is used to the lure on foot, she is to be lured on horseback; which may be effected the sooner, by causing horsemen to be about her when she is lured on foot.
When she has grown familiar to this way, let somebody on foot hold the hawk, and he on horseback must call and cast the lure about his head, the holder taking off the hood by the tassel; and if she seize eagerly on the lure without fear of man or horse, then take off the creance, and lure her at a greater distance. And if you would have her love dogs as well as the lure, call dogs when you give her her living or plumage. See the article HAWKING.