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The Boke of Saint Albans

The
Boke of Saint Albans

BY

DAME JULIANA BERNERS

CONTAINING

TREATISES ON HAWKING, HUNTING, AND COTE ARMOUR:

PRINTED AT SAINT ALBANS BY THE SCHOOLMASTER-PRINTER IN 1486

REPRODUCED IN FACSIMILE

With an Introduction by

WILLIAM BLADES

AUTHOR OF “THE LIFE AND TYPOGRAPHY OF WILLIAM CAXTON”

LONDON

ELLIOT STOCK, PATERNOSTER ROW, E.C.

“Manhood I am, therefore I me delyght

To hunt and hawke, to nourish up and fede

The greyhounde to the course, the hawke to th’ flight,

And to bestryde a good and lusty stede.”

From Sir Thomas More’s Poems.

Introduction.

Several independent printing presses were established in England before the close of the fifteenth century; and from them issued numerous books which are invaluable to all students of antiquity from the light they throw upon the social habits and literary progress of our nation. Of these it may safely be said that not one exceeds in interest that work of an unknown typographer, which is here presented in facsimile, and which, from the town in which it was compiled, as well as printed, is known to all bibliographers as “The Book of St. Albans.” This work has always been a favourite, partly because our feelings are appealed to in favour of the writer who for centuries has taken rank as England’s earliest poetess, and is still, in all our Biographical Dictionaries, reckoned among “noble authors;” and partly because we love mysteries, and a mystery has always enshrouded the nameless printer. The subjects, too, so curiously alliterative—Hawking, Hunting, and Heraldry, have an enticing and antique flavour about them, being just those with which, at that period, every man claiming to be “gentle” was expected to be familiar; while ignorance of their laws and language was to confess himself a “churl.”

As to the language and orthography of the book, it is a never-failing source of interest, being quite different from any other printed work of the fifteenth century, except the St. Albans’ Chronicle from the same press. Among bibliographers it ranks as “rarissimus,” the known copies being so few that they might probably be counted on the fingers of one hand.

Looking at the book, then, all round, it will be a convenient plan to consider these subjects separately, and to treat the volume in its four aspects of Authorship, Typography and Bibliography, Subject-matter, and Philology.

CHAPTER I.
Authorship.

Historians and Biographers, together with Librarians and Booksellers, have a natural antipathy to anonymous books; and, wherever they can, are willing to accept the smallest amount of evidence as proof of paternity. It saves much trouble and avoids numerous errors in cataloguing, when a recognised name can be associated with an anonymous work. From this tendency a bad habit has arisen of attributing to particular writers books concerning which the evidence of authorship is doubtful, if not altogether untrustworthy.

In this very book we have a striking instance of such erroneous attribution. The three treatises, of which the book is made up, are quite distinct, and to a portion only of one of these is there any author’s name attached. Yet that name, “Dam Julyans Barnes,” altered by degrees to “Dame Juliana Berners,” is now universally received as the name of the authoress of the whole volume. With even less show of reason she is credited with the authorship of a “Treatise on Fishing” for which there is not the shadow of evidence, that treatise having been added ten years later by Wynken de Worde, who, when reprinting the Book of St. Albans, thought that the subject of Fishing would complete the work as a Gentleman’s Vade Mecum.

There are really four distinct tractates in the Book of St. Albans, although the two last being on Heraldry are generally counted as one.

The first is on Hawking; to this no name of the author is attached, but it has a prologue which no one acquainted with the other writings of the printer can doubt to be his. Of this we shall have more to say anon.

The second tractate is on Hunting: it is specially associated with the name of Dame Juliana Berners, and will require a more extended elucidation than the others.

Here the evidence of authorship is as good as for most pieces of fifteenth-century production—a period at which literary rights did not exist, and when the scribe, if at all acquainted with the subject upon which the book he was copying treated, did not scruple to interpolate his own ideas, and that without any egotistical vanity, but merely from a feeling that all books being written for the good of men, and not from vanity in the author, it was a duty to improve them where possible. But as improvement mostly meant the addition of something on the same subject taken from another manuscript, we have the constant occurrence of one MS. being a compilation of two or three others, and yet appearing under the name of the last compiler.

In this treatise on Hunting we have the express statement at the end of the twenty-fourth page—“Explicit Dam Julyans Barnes.” This might certainly apply to the transcription only, but, when taken with Wynken de Worde’s version, the probability is, that the lady compiled as well as wrote it. In the reprint by Wynken de Worde, only ten years later than the original, he varies the colophon thus:—“¶ Explicit dame Julyans Bernes doctryne in her boke of huntynge,” the whole reprint ending “Enprynted at westmestre by Wynkyn the Worde the yere of thyncarnacōn of our lorde. M . CCCC . lxxxxvj.” So that he, a contemporary, evidently believed her to be the authoress. Later authorities attributed the whole book to her pen, but as they were in possession of no more evidence than we now are, and probably not so much, we should attach no weight to such statements, which were founded simply on a vivid imagination.

But what is known of the lady who is admitted to have compiled the twenty-four pages on Hunting? Who was Dame Julians Barnes? Here, unless a sentimental and inventive sympathy be employed to throw an artificial light upon the darkness, we are in total ignorance. A biography of her has certainly been written, and all our Dictionaries and Encyclopædias devote a page or two to her history, which, in 1810, under Haslewood’s nurture, attained its full development. Even so far back as 1549, or nearly a century after her supposed death, the learned Bale, who wrote an account of all our English celebrities, allows his gallantry to bedeck her memory with garments fine. “Fœmina illustris!” he exclaims, “corporis et animi dotibus abundans ac forma elegantia spectabilis” (An illustrious lady! abundantly gifted, both in body and mind, and charming in the elegance of her mien). Considering that the name of the lady is the whole of the text upon which Bale had to build, this is by no means a bad specimen of imaginative biography, and became a good foundation for future commentators. The story, however, fared rather badly at first; for Holinshed, in 1577, while echoing Bale very exactly, is made, by a curious error of the printer, who mistook the letters rn for m, to call the authoress Julyan Bemes; while Baker in his Chronicles, too careless even to refer to the original text, adds another blunder to the story, and, thinking that Julyan must be a man’s name, dubs the authoress “a gentleman of excellent gifts, who wrote certain treatises of Hawking and Hunting.”

Chauncy, in 1700 (History of Hertfordshire), restored her sex to the lady, and then set to work upon making a family history for her. His first discovery was that, being a “Dame,” she was of noble blood. Finding also that the family name of Lord Berners was, in olden time, spelt occasionally Barnes, he soon supplied a father for our authoress, in the person of Sir James Berners. And so the game of making history went on merrily up to the time of Joseph Haslewood, who, in 1810, reprinted Wynken de Worde’s edition of the Book of St. Albans, and supplied a full-blown biography of the authoress, giving particulars of her birth and education, the occupations of her youthful days, and a most imposing pedigree. Let us quote Haslewood’s own words: “Julyans, or Juliana, Barnes, otherwise Berners, who has been generally designated as the authoress of the present volume, is supposed to have been born, towards the latter end of the fourteenth century, at Roding-Berners, in the county of Essex. The received report is that she was the daughter of Sir James Berners, whose son was created Baron Berners, temp. Henry IV., and that she once held the situation of Prioress of Sopwell Nunnery, in Hertfordshire.” He then attributes to her the authorship of all four works in the Book of St. Albans. The difficulty of accounting for a lady so placed writing upon such subjects, is cleverly, if not satisfactorily settled by assuming that she passed her teens at court, partaking of the amusements of the field, and writing for her own use a commonplace book on various subjects. Then retiring through disappointment (doubtless a love affair) to a cloister, her rank raised her to the position of prioress. There in her seclusion, writing amidst the solitude of listless hours and vain regrets, she versified the general rules of sport from her own pleasant recollection, and from the diaries of her youthful happiness, which fortunately she had preserved. If we remember the mania which seized all classes for diary-keeping at the beginning of this century, when Haslewood wrote this, it will deepen our sense of humour to note that he attributes private diary-keeping to a young lady who lived ante 1450.

But enough of such sham biography; let us return to facts.

The word “Dame” did not in the fifteenth century, as it does now, imply any connection with a titled family, it meant simply Mistress or Mrs. Chaucer speaks of Dame Partlet in this sense; and had the Dame Julyans Barnes of the fifteenth century lived now, she would have been just “Mrs. Barnes.”

Similarity of name in history, like similarity of sound in philology is a will-o’-the-wisp which has led many a writer into a bog. Allowing that Lord Berners’ name was sometimes spelt Barnes, is that sufficient reason for making our authoress a member of his family? I think not.

That the greater portion of the book on Hunting was compiled by Mistress Barnes, is probably correct,[^[1]] and had she written much more, and produced even an original work on the subject, she would not have stood alone, even at that early period, as an authoress. Crystine de Pisan, two of whose works were printed by Caxton, was contemporary with Julians Barnes, and left not only numerous original writings behind her—one of which was upon the Art of War—but left her mark, and that no mean nor ignoble one, upon the political course and moral development of her countrymen. But Dame Julyans’ work upon Hunting is certainly not original, as indeed very few works upon any subject were at that period. This is evident from a glance at the text and the grouping of the subjects. It begins with distinguishing the varieties of beasts and their ages; the proper names by which to designate the beasts, singly and together; on hunting and dressing a Roe, a Boar, a Hare; of flaying; of the horns of a Roebuck; of the Hart; of the seasons; of the Hare. Then follows, from another source, an interpolation of a discourse between a Master of the Hunt and his man, going over portions of the same ground again; and this ended, we get back again to the original MS. and the dismemberment of various beasts. All through, with the exception of the interpolated conversation, the text is addressed to “My deare childe.” Thus we read—“Do so, my child;” “Think what I say, my son;” “My lief childer;” “Say, child, where you go? my dame taught you so.” Evidently that portion was originally written for a mother to use as a school-book, by which her son would learn to read, and, at the same time, become familiar with the terms of venery.

[1]. Taking Berners and Barnes to be the same word, it is curious to note—in connection with the work attributed to Dame Juliana, viz., The Book of Hunting—that the masters of that sport employed men called Berners, to be ready with relays of horses and to feed the hounds.—See Halliwell’s “Dictionary of Archaic and Provincial Words.”

In the Bodleian Library is a small manuscript on the Terms of the Chase, the beginning of which is:—

“Mi dere sones, where ye fare, be frith or by fell,

Take good hede in his tyme how Tristram wol tell.”

This manuscript was probably copied by some youth as a school-exercise, which would account for the following odd colophon—“Explicit, expliceat, ludere scriptor eat.”

Compare the above with the opening stanza of the verses we attribute to Mistress Barnes:—

“Wheresoever ye fare, by frith or by fell,[^[2]]

My dear child, take heed how Tristram doth you tell.”[^[3]]

[2]. “By frith or by fell” = by forest or by plain; but see Halliwell’s Dictionary.

[3]. Sir Tristram, the well-known knight of the Round Table, was a mighty hunter, and the great authority upon all subjects connected with the chase. Popular belief attributed to him the origin of all the special terms used in hunting, and his name was invoked to give authority to any statement upon this subject, just as in a later century the arithmetical rules of Cocker give rise to the popular phrase—“According to Cocker.”

The rest of the Oxford MS. is in similar accord with the print, but nowhere in it is there a word about Mistress Barnes.

The words “Explicit Dam Julyans Barnes” have been considered to prove that the lady was alive when the book was printed. If, however, Sir James Berners were her father, of which there is no evidence, she must have been close upon a hundred years old in 1486, as he died in 1390. But this is importing a needless difficulty into the theory, which is not rendered more probable by making the authoress and printer contemporary.

It may here be as well to say a few words about Sopwell Nunnery, over which, without a particle of evidence, our authoress is supposed to have presided. Sopwell Nunnery, Hertfordshire, was founded about 1140, under the rule of St. Benedict, and subject to the Abbot of St. Albans, from which it was not far distant. The rule of life among the inmates was very severe, and at the first the nuns were enclosed under locks and bolts, made additionally sure by the seal, on the door, of the Abbot for the time being (Chauncy’s History, p. 466). How long this lasted, and how the nuns liked it, history saith not; but, in 1338, a re-organisation had become imperative, and the Abbot of St. Albans, among other instructions, ordered that no nun should lodge out of the house, and no guest within it (Newcome, p. 468). There does not seem much scope left here for the Prioress to take an active part in field sports, though a hundred and fifty years later, which was about the period of our “Dame,” many relaxations of the strict rules may have become common. But, then, we have apparently accurate lists of all the Prioresses of Sopwell in the fifteenth century, and the name of Juliana Barnes does not appear at all in them. The known dates are these:—In 1416, Matilda de Flamstede was Prioress. Four years before her death, which was in 1430, she was succeeded by Letitia Wyttenham. The next whose name is known was Joan Chapell; the date of her appointment is not recorded, but as she was set aside in 1480 on account of her age, she had probably occupied the position for many years. In 1480, Elizabeth Webb succeeded Joan Chapell.

What is really known of the Dame is almost nothing, and may be summed up in the following few words. She probably lived at the beginning of the fifteenth century, and she possibly compiled from existing MSS. some rhymes on Hunting.

There is still the authorship of the other parts of the book to determine, and if similarity of wording and phraseology may be taken as evidence, they were all from one pen.

At the end of the book on Heraldry the printer has put the following—“Here endeth the book of Blasing of Arms translated and compiled together at Seynt Albons.” Here we have the printer’s own statement as to the origin of his text, and doubtless this, as well as the treatise on Hawking, were made up or “compiled” from more than one manuscript in French. Haslewood gives a list of such as are in the British Museum, in several of which portions of the printed work are contained. Works on Hunting and Hawking were not uncommon in the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries, and are still found in all large collections of manuscripts. There were several in the libraries of the Dukes of Burgundy in the fifteenth century, and many are still extant in the national collections of England and France.

The other tractates in the volume have an origin very similar to that of the Book of Hunting. The Book of Hawking is an evident compilation from several manuscripts, which accounts perhaps for its deficiency in arrangement and want of continuity. The Book of Coat Armour also has two distinct sources in contemporary works, one of which was the “De Officio Militari” of Nicholas Upton. From this the schoolmaster copied Book IV. almost word for word, supplementing it from “The Book of the Lineage of Coat Armour,” as stated already. The only other literary work which can be attributed to our printer is the extensive compilation known as the St. Albans’ Chronicle or the Fructus Temporum. But neither in the Chronicle, where he simply combined two histories into one, nor in the Book of St. Albans, which is also a compilation, does the schoolmaster show any literary ability above the average of scholars of his period.

As specimens of the schoolmaster’s powers of composition we annex the following, the originals of which can be seen in the ensuing facsimile pages:—

Prologue to the Book of Hawking.

“In so much that gentlemen and honest persons have great delight in Hawking, and desire to have the manner to take hawks: and also how and in what wise they should guide them ordinately: and to know the gentle terms in communing of their hawks: and to understand their sicknesses and infirmities, and to know medicines for them according, and the many notable terms that be used in hawking both of their hawks and of the fowls that their hawks shall slay. Therefore this book following in a due form shows very knowledge of such pleasure to gentlemen and persons disposed to see it.”

Prologue to Mistress Barnes’ Compilation on Hunting.

“Likewise, as in the Book of Hawking aforesaid are written and noted the terms of pleasure belonging to gentlemen having delight therein, in the same manner this book following showeth to such gentle persons the manner of Hunting for all manner of beasts, whether they be beasts of Venery, or of Chace, or Rascal. And also it showeth all the terms convenient as well to the hounds as to the beasts aforesaid. And in certain there be many diverse of them as it is declared in the book following.”

Prologue to the Book of Coat Armour.

“Here in this book following is determined the lineage of Coat Armours: and how gentlemen shall be known from ungentle men, and how bondage began first in angel and after succeeded in man kind, as it is here showed in process, both in the childer of Adam and also of Noe, and how Noe divided the world in three parts to his three sons. Also there be showed the nine colours in Arms figured by the nine orders of Angels, and it is showed by the foresaid colours which be worthy and which be royal; and of regalities which be noble and which be excellent. And there be here the vertues of Chivalry, and many other notable and famous things, to the pleasure of noble persons shall be showed, as the works following witnesses, whosoever liketh to see them and read them, which were too long now to rehearse. And after these notable things aforesaid followeth the Blasing of all manner Arms in Latin, French, and English.”

So wrote the schoolmaster. Let us now see what kind of book this is typographically.

CHAPTER II.
Typography and Bibliography.

Old books must be loved, and their idiosyncrasies carefully studied, before they will yield up all their treasures; that done, the observant lover will obtain possession of both soul and body; he may revel in the intellectual feast provided by the author, or he may study the material and mechanical features of the books as represented by the peculiarities of paper and the habits and customs of the various printers. Then, by grouping these as a botanist does his flowers, according to their organisation into classes, orders, genera, and species, he may extract from his volumes true replies to questions which otherwise would remain hidden for ever. So true is the dictum, “The Mind it is which sees, and not the Eye alone.”

Many bibliophiles, however, of education and taste have been positively blind when outside the circle of their own particular studies. So it was with the Rev. Dr. M‘Neille, a well-known critic and book-collector of sixty years ago. When addressing Dr. Dibdin he wrote thus of “The Book of St. Albans”—“This book is itself useless, and only a bon morceau for the quizzical collector.” With such feelings towards one of the most curious works which this country produced during the infancy of the printing press, it was simply impossible that the interest of its pages should be revealed to him; and however rich in divinity and editiones principes of the classics the library of the worthy doctor may have been, it is evident that our Book of St. Albans could never have been aught but an alien on his book-shelves.

The works printed by William Caxton were almost without exception in the English tongue, while the contemporary presses of Oxford, St. Albans, and Machlinia were nearly all in Latin. Of the eight books at present known to have been printed at St. Albans, the only two in English were the “Fructus Temporum” and the work under review. The “Fructus” or St. Albans’ Chronicle is the same as that printed two years previously by Caxton, with the addition of certain ecclesiastical events and Papal chronology, probably added by the printer himself to please the monks.

The Book of St. Albans’ and the St. Albans’ Chronicle make a class of themselves; but as it is impossible to understand their position without a glance at the other works from the same press, we will give a tabulated description of the whole eight.

But who was the printer? What was his name? Was he associated with the great Abbey? and is there any internal or external evidence in his works to connect him with any other printer or any other town?

The only notice we have of the printer is an accidental one by Wynken de Worde, who, in reprinting the St. Albans’ Chronicle, says in the colophon, “Here endith this present Chronicle ... compiled in a book and also enprinted by our sometime Schoolmaster of St. Alban.” He was a schoolmaster, then, and this will account for the nature of his early works, all scholastic and all in Latin. Not till the end of his typographical career did he realise the fact that the printing press, instead of being the hobby of a few learned men, was the educator of the people, the whole nation; and then he gave his countrymen what they wanted—a history of their own country and a book upon the whole (secular) duty of the gentleman, as then understood.

The name of the schoolmaster-printer is quite unknown. No notice of him is found in the records of the Abbey, nor does he appear in any contemporary document. Yet here, as in Mistress Barnes’s case, imagination has come to the rescue and a legendary name has been provided.

Finding that the Prologue to the Book of Hawking began with the words, “Insomuch as gentle men and honest persons have great delight in Hawking;” finding also that the St. Alban’s Chronicle from the same press began thus: “Insomuch as it is necessary;” and bearing in mind that certain old authors had veiled their names in the first words of their works, Dr. Chauncy arrived at the sagacious conclusion that the St. Albans printer wished to veil his name, which really was “Insomuch.” The joke, for it almost seems like one, does not bear even the scrutiny which itself invites, for although the schoolmaster uses the words in two other places, in neither case are they at the beginning of a chapter.[^[4]] It should be added that in this the worthy historian of Hertfordshire only followed the lead of both Bale and Pits.

[4]. On sig. a j recto of “Cote Armour” is “Insomuch as all gentleness comes of God;” and upon sig. b iij verso is “Insomuch that in the fifth quadrat,” &c. The use of the word in these cases could have no veiled meaning, and it was probably only a peculiarity of diction which had become a habit with the schoolmaster.

Was he connected with the Abbey? I think not. There is not a word to suggest such a connection, although we may take it for granted that the Abbot and his fraternity could not have frowned upon the printer, or he would never have established himself. His imprints all mention the town of St. Albans, but never the Abbey, and his position was probably similar to that of Caxton, who was simply a tenant of the Abbot of Westminster, but, so far as is known, nothing more.

Was he connected with Caxton and the Westminster press? Without a shadow of doubt I say, No! Mr. E. Scott, of the MS. department in the British Museum, has indeed strung together a number of surmises to show that the Schoolmaster was employed by Caxton, and that all the books without date or place hitherto attributed to Westminster were really printed at St. Albans. But internal evidence is against any such gratuitous assumption. There is nothing in common between the two printers in any of their habits or customs except the possession of Caxton’s No. 3 type. This is the only one of Caxton’s types used outside his own office (for W. de Worde, his successor in house and business, must not be regarded as a separate printer). Caxton employed it from his arrival in England in 1477 till 1484, when it makes its last appearance in the headings of “Æsop,” the “Order of Chivalry,” and “The Golden Legend.” In 1485 Caxton obtained a new fount, similar in shape and character, and from that time the old No. 3 disappears to make way for the new and smaller type No. 5. This being more suited to the taste of the day, we find the larger and worn fount passing over to the country press of St. Albans, where the Schoolmaster first uses it in 1486, being the identical year in which its successor appears in Caxton’s “Royal Book.” We may here observe that after the stoppage of the St. Albans’ Press the same fount finds its way back again and is seen in W. de Worde’s reprint, in 1496–97, of the two English St. Albans books. But the discovery of a copy of Caxton’s Boethius in the old Grammar School at St. Albans, and the numerous fragments of old books extracted from its covers, are quoted as confirming the idea. Yet the book itself and all these fragments were from Westminster, not a single one being from a known St. Albans book, and they included the Caxton “Chronicles,” 1480, the “Dictes,” 1477, and the still earlier “Life of Jason;” so that we had better at once remove the whole Westminster press, dated and undated, to St. Albans, if such an argument is to have any force. These fragments, indeed, can only point to the fact that the copy of Boethius was bound in the printing office, as was commonly the case with the books from Caxton’s press.

Again, Mr. Scott draws attention to the fact that a page of the St. Albans’ Book, 1486, has been copied by a contemporary writer on to the blank leaves of one of Caxton’s earliest books. ’Tis true; but this copying of part of one book into another, printed ten years before, has no typographical bearing whatever. Lastly, the name Causton appears in an old St. Albans’ Register of the early part of the fifteenth century. But this, again, means positively nothing. Caxton’s name was not at all uncommon; there were Caustons or Caxtons in nearly every English county, and I have quite a long list of them.

It is highly probable that Caxton, while at Westminster, in the van of all the literature of his day, would have communications of some sort with the important town of St. Albans; but that the two printers assisted one another in the production of books, is, so far as any evidence goes, a pure fiction.

Let us now glance at the bibliographical aspect of the book.

The work itself has no title. It is difficult in our time, accustomed as we are to “teeming millions” of books, each with its own title-page, to conceive a period when the press sent out works without even the shadow of a title-page. Before the invention of printing, the author simply headed his first page with the name of the work, as “Here begins the Confessio Amantis,” or “Hic incipit Parvus Catho,” and, without preface or more ado, the text commenced. Sometimes even this little notification was omitted, and, as in Caxton’s “Jason,” “The Chess Book,” “Tulle,” and many other fifteenth-century books, the subject of the work had to be learned by reading the text. So it is with the book now under review; it comprises four distinct works, but to one only is there any heading, and that has the bare line “Incipit liber armorum.” The first, “The Book of Hawking,” starts straight off—“This is the manner to keep Hawks,” and occupies three signatures, a, b, and c, of eight leaves each, and sig. d, which has but four leaves, on purpose that this portion might be complete alone, if so desired. The same idea controlled the arrangement of “The Book of Hunting,” which, beginning on sig. e j, ends with Dame Juliana’s “Explicit” on the recto of sig. f iiij. This left the last seven pages of the quaternion to be filled up. Now it was a common practice, both with the scribes and with the early printers, when they got to the end of their text and found that a page or two of blank paper was left, to occupy the blank pages with such common household aphorisms or popular rhymes as came easily to the memory, or were at hand in some other book. So here the schoolmaster-printer fills up his vacant pages with a number of odd sentences and rhymes, most of which occur over and over again in numerous manuscripts of early poetry. Among others we notice the well-known:—

“Arise erly,

serue God deuouteli,

and the world besily.”

&c. &c.

Also the folks proverb:—

“Too wyues in oon hous,

Too cattys and oon mous,

Too dogges and oon boon,

Theis shall neū accorde oon.”

Then the list of proper terms to be used by gentlemen and those curious in their speech is of very common occurrence:—

“An herde of Hertis

An herde of all mañ dere

A pride of Lionys

A sleuth of Beeris.”

&c. &c.

This was evidently copied from some MS., and ends with “¶ Explicit,” and nothing more. On the next page we have the proper terms for carving or dismembering beasts, fowls, and fishes, followed on the last leaf by a list of bishoprics and provinces.

Having thus filled up all his leaves, the printer begins his third subject on a fresh signature, and introduces the “Liber Armorum” with the Preface (already printed). A long work on the “Blasing of Arms” follows, beginning on sig. c j, and ending on sig. f 10.

This is extremely interesting, both in matter and in the very rude woodcut representations of armorial bearings with which the text is profusely illustrated. Except in one or two cases of uncommon tints, these are all colour-printed, as are the initials to paragraphs. In the Grenville copy, the pressman having forgotten to roll the “forme,” the initials all appear in that semi-tinted state which would be the natural result of such an omission. We notice, too, that where the coats of arms require, say, three colours on one page, then the initials are also in three colours; but if only one colour is required for the arms, only one colour, and that the same, is used for the initials. Occasionally, where a peculiar colour was necessary, a brush was used to insert that tint by hand.

In workmanship the St. Albans printer, especially in the English books, is much inferior to the contemporary issue from the Westminster press. The types are worse, the arrangement worse, the presswork worse, and the ink worse. From this point of view alone, the theory that he would print for Caxton so much better than he did for himself, is not worth serious consideration.

The Book of St. Albans went through many editions, particulars of which are difficult to obtain.

1486. The Boke of St. Albans (Brit. Mus.). 149–. By Wynken de Worde “at the sygne of the Sonne.” 1496. By Wynken de Worde (Brit. Mus.). 15—. By W. Powell. “Imprinted at London in Fletestrete at the sygne of George next to saynt Dunston’s Church by Wyllyam Powell.” 15—. By W. Copland. “Imprinted at London in Flete Street at the sygne of the Rose Garlande by Wylliam Copland for Richard Tottell” (Brit. Mus.). 15—. By W. Copland. “In Lothebury” 4to. 15—. By W. Copland. “In saynt Martyns parish in the Vinetre uppon the three crane wharfe.” 1548? By W. Copland. “Imprynted at London in the Vyentre vppon the thre Craned Wharfe by Wyllyam Copland.” 1550. By W. Powell. “Hawkynge Huntynge and Fishynge.” 8vo. London.

How did the schoolmaster at St. Albans obtain his types? This is a puzzling question in the present state of palæotypography. Mr. Bradshaw of Cambridge has, by unwearied study of early printed books, thrown great light upon the connection and genealogy of numerous founts used by fifteenth-century printers, and systematic attention to the minute peculiarities of each printer is doubtless the only way in which those old books can be forced to yield up their secrets; but the task is immense, and beyond the powers of any one man to complete. Some day, however, when the palæotypography of this country, as well as of the Continental presses, shall have received that full technical and philosophical analysis which time is sure to bring, the more fortunate bibliographer of the future will be able with certainty to track the footsteps and operations of the early typefounders, and will be enabled to state for certain to what extent Caxton and the St. Albans printer were their own typefounders, and to what extent and to whom they looked for outside help. As the case now stands, we can only confess our ignorance of where the St. Albans types came from.

CHAPTER III.
The Subjects Treated.

In the rude civilisation of the fifteenth century, a year’s experience of which would send most of us to our graves, the mental occupation as well as the bodily recreation of our ancestors was almost confined to hunting and hawking. “Fishing with an Angle” came in as a bad third, being too tame a pursuit for men who were no men if not men of war. Mimic war—war on the beasts of the field and the fowls of the air—war which could be pursued in times of peace, and which yet required knowledge, patience, fortitude, and courage—this had great attractions, and we cannot wonder at the general popularity of these pursuits.

The first treatise in the following reprint is upon Hawking, a pastime essentially aristocratic from the great expense it entailed in the purchase, breeding, and maintenance of the birds. This, indeed, coupled with the diminution of game consequent on the progress of civilisation and the increase of the population, led to the gradual decadence of the sport, and nearly to its extinction in the eighteenth century, although, in very rare cases, falconry is even now practised.

As we have seen, one of the most difficult objects in hawking was to obtain an easy command of the proper vocabulary, and so at first start our author instructs us in “The manner to speak of Hawks, from the egg.” We must not say a young hawk is hatched, but ‘disclosed;’ they do not breed but “eyer;” it was a want of culture in any falconer to say that hawks were building their nest, they “timbered” it. When the young could first leave the nest they were “Bowesses,” and when they could fly they were “Branchers,” and then was the time to catch and train them.

When the young were caught, which was with nets, the first thing was to “ensile” them, that is, to “take a needle and thread and sew up the eyelids,” so that they “see never a dele.” After a night and a day the threads were cut softly for fear of breaking the “lyddis of the ighen,” then they were fed with well-washed flesh, but kept awake the next night and day, after which they were supposed to be tame, or “reclaimed.”

The various diseases to which Hawks are liable are then explained, and medicines prescribed for them. Some of these are very absurd and some contradictory. Then comes a variety of terms for every movement and habit, for every limb or part of the body, and for almost every feather in the plumage. In this minute description the author begins at the feet of the bird and so works upwards, as when “Knyghttis been harnesside.”

Next we are instructed how important it is to be careful of the manner of guiding the Hawk the first time it is ready to “nomme a partridge;” how to reward her by giving her the head and neck, after which on no account is she to fly again till she has “rejoiced,” i.e., sharpened her beak and shaken her feathers. More medicines follow, among which is how to get rid of “lies” (lice). “Take a piece of rough blanket and hold it to the fire till it is quite hot; wrap the hawk therein, and without hurting hold her ‘softely and stylly’ in your hands, and all the vermin will creep into the cloth.” A happy thought this!

The “Gesse,” or strip of leather by which the Hawk is held when carrying her on the hand, is next described, together with the creance or long line. More medicines still, and then how to treat Hawks when “in mew,” or moulting, a matter of great importance. To promote “mewing” give the flesh of a kid, a young swan, and especially rats flesh; stewed adders are also strongly recommended, or chickens which have been fed upon wheat soaked in broth of vipers.

Gout seems a common disease in various parts of the Hawk’s body, which may be known by swelling and “ungladness;” also rheum and fever and blains and agrum, which last is cured by a red-hot silver needle thrust into the nostrils. Botches in the jaw should be “kutte with a knyfe.” More terms follow for various habits and actions, the last paragraph being upon the variety of Bells used for Hawks. There should be two, one a “semytoyn” (semitone) below the other. “The Bells of Melen (Milan?) were the best, but,” says the author, “there be now used Dutchland bells, of a town called durdright (Dordrecht), and they be passing good, sonowre (sonorous) of ringing in shrillness, and well lasting.”

The whole ends with a list of various species of Hawks and their appropriateness to the various stations of life, among which are—

An Eagle for an Emperor.

A Gerfalcon for a King.

A Peregrine for an Earl.

A Merlyon for a Lady.

A Goshawk for a Yeoman.

A Sparehawk for a Priest.

A Muskyte for “an holiwater clerke.”

The second treatise is upon Hunting, and has a short preface, which probably came, like the first, from the pen of the Schoolmaster.

The work is all in metre, and evidently intended for boys to learn by heart. It begins by telling “my dere chylde” the various kinds of beast to be hunted; the changes of name they take as they grow older; the variety of horns; how to skin and dismember; the various cries and noises to be used; the seasons of hunting various beasts.

Then follow instructions how to hunt the Hare, and what to say to the hounds, who must always be addressed in French, as “arere!” when he enters the kennel-door; “this is the first word, my son, of venery.” “Sa sa cy auaunt,” “Sweff mon amy sweff,” and other similar cries are noted down, some to be shouted twice only and some thrice, the chief cry being “So how.” The knowledge of when and how often these cries should be used was most important, as their proper use would bring “worship among all men.” Here, apparently, in the midst of one essay, another is interpolated, and we are treated to a portion of some old dialogue like “The Master of the Hunt,” in which the “Man” asks all sorts of questions and the “Master” replies. It might indeed be dubbed “The Hunter’s Catechism.” This occupies eight pages, and then we fall back upon the original rhyme again and the instructions of the Dame to “my childe,” ending with the “Explicit” of Dam Julyans Barnes. Some leaves remaining to be filled up, the moral and other sentences, as already described at page 21, were added.

Perhaps the third treatise upon Coat Armour and the Blason of Arms is the most interesting portion of the book. The quaintness of some of the explanations is very amusing, and many people will find more points of sympathy, both historical and technical, with this than with the others.

The headline, “Incipit Liber Armorum,” gives us at once the title of the manuscript from which the text was compiled. “Heraldry Run Mad” might indeed have been an appropriate title for this, as well as all similar tractates; for the author, in his anxiety to honour the science, does not scruple to take the reader back historically not to Noah only, but to Adam, whose spade, he tells us, was the first shield in Heraldry, and who was the first to bear Coat Armour. The argument, if it may so be called, is:—All “gentilnes” comes from God; there were originally in heaven ten Orders of Angels bearing Coat Armour, but now only nine, Lucifer with “mylionys of aungelis” having fallen out of heaven into hell and other places. As a bondman might say that all men come from Adam, so might Lucifer say he and his angels came from heaven.

Cain, for his wickedness, was the first churl, and all his offspring were churls also by the curse of God. Seth, on the other hand, was a gentleman by his father’s blessing; Noah, too, was a gentleman by nature, but of his three sons, “Sem, Cham, and Jafeth,” Cham, for his unfilial conduct, was made “ungentle.” The address of Noah to his three sons is curious, and is thus supplemented:—

“Of the offspring of the gentleman Japhet came Abraham, Moses Aaron, and the prophets, and also the King of the right line of Mary, of whom that gentleman Jesus was born, very God and man, after his manhood King of the land of Judah and of Jews, a gentleman by his mother Mary, and Prince of Coat Armour.”

Some say that Coat Armour began at the siege of Troy, but it was of far greater antiquity than that, and was founded upon the nine Orders of Angels, who were crowned each with a diadem of precious stones—the Topaz (truth), Smaragdus (hardihood), Amethyst (chivalry), Loys (powerful), Ruby (courageous), Sapphire (wisdom), Diamond, a black stone (durable), Carbuncle (doughty and glorious). These represent Gentleman, Squire, Knight, Baron, Lord, Earl, Marquis, Duke, and Prince. Here we probably have the origin of the shape of various crowns and coronets. Everything is treated in nines, and the nine virtues and nine vices of gentleness follow, with nine rejoicings, nine articles that every knight should keep, and nine manner of gentlemen, in which we learn that the Evangelists and Apostles were all gentlemen of the right line of that worthy conqueror, Judas Machabeus, who in course of time had fallen to labour, and so were not called gentlemen. The four doctors of the Church—St. Jerome Ambrose, Augustine, and Gregory—were also gentlemen of blood and of Coat Armour. There are nine differences of Coat Armour and nine quadrats, all of which are explained. The “Blasyng of Arms” comes next, the preface to which is by the author, and not by the printer. It begins with the varieties of the Cross as borne in arms, each being illustrated by a rude woodcut printed in its proper colours, and the blason, or technical description of each is given in Latin, French, and English. All varieties of arms follow, with the mysteries of bends, engrail, borders, chequers, balls, cakes, rings, &c., offering but little which can be quoted, but forming an interesting and useful book of reference.

CHAPTER IV.
Philology.

There is a strongly marked individuality in the spelling throughout all the treatises in this work. If the Hunting rhymes belong to Dam Julyans, their orthography, like the prose portions, is that of the Schoolmaster, who appears to have been a North-countryman, many words leading to that conclusion. The formation of the plural by adding the letters “is” or “ys” strikes the attention at once. Thus the plural of bells is bellis; egg, eggis; vetch, fetchis; fulmert, fulmertis; hawk, hawkys; herd, herdys; person, personys, and so on. The change of a y at the end of a word to an i is common, as onli, softeli, unthrefti; and for if; algate; awth for all the; bowke; chylder; clepit; clees; knaw; ken; yowre; and many others are Northern. As might be expected, many Anglo-Saxon and Anglo-Norman words now obsolete are found, such as benymme, blynne, byzete, canell, clepit, colver, dagon, gobbit, kawe, kydde, liggen, merde, nasethrils, nym,[^[5]] raton, and many others.

[5]. In the slang of thieves to steal is to nim at this day.

The following vocabulary will show the chief words in which peculiarity of spelling or dialect are noticeable:—

alfe, half

algate, always

and, used for “if”

appillis, apples

arn, are

assone, as soon

awntelere, antler

awth, aught

awth, all the

barris, bars

beestys, beasts

beke, beak

bellis, bells

bene, be

benymme, take away

blynne, to cease

boon, bone

bodi, body

bowellis, bowels

bott, but

bottre, butter

bowke, crooked

bridde, bird

broght, brought

bysprenged, sprinkled

byzete, gain

calt, called

calde, called

cattis flesh, cat’s flesh

canell, cinnamon

callish, call (imper.)

chycon, chick

chykynnes, chickens

chooce, choice

chylder, children

clepit, called

cloos, close

communeli, commonly

commythe, cometh

cowntenansis, countenances

coluer, a dove

colode, cold

cogh, cough

contenyt, contained

cowples, couples

croampe, cramp

currage, courage

cum, cumme, come

dais, days

dagon, a piece

dayses, daisies

deeil, a portion

defawte, default

diueris, divers

dookes, ducks

doon, do

doys, does

echeon, each one

ech, each

eeg, egg

eegis, eggs

ellis, else

elis, eels

errabull, arable

eseli, easily

eueri, every

euerose, rosewater

euyn, eeuen, even

eyre, air

eygh, eyghen, eye, eyes

febulness, feebleness

fechens, stoats

faukeneris, falconers

feederis, federes, feathers

fetchis, vetches

feldis, fields

fosterys, foresters

folowys, follows

flee, flay

forder, further

forrgeet, forget

fostewt, fost

fowrith, fourth

fulmertis, polecats

gedder, gather

glayre, white of an egg

gobbit, piece

gres, grease

groyn, grown

gyde, guide

habull, able

hawkys, hawks

hawtyn, proud

hakke, hack

haare, hare

heepis, heeps

hedgis, hedges

herdys, herds

howndys, hounds

hoole, whole

hoold, holde, old

hoom, home

hudge, small

huntid, hunted

hunterys, hunters

hennys, hens

huicles oppon hir houghis

hanylon, wiles of a fox

igh, ighe, iyen, eye, eyes

ingraylyt, engrailled

inowgh, enough

ilich, alike

iren, iron

ilke, each

juse, juice

kawe, call

ken, know

knaw, knawe, know

knottis, knots

kneys, knees

kow, cow

knyue, knife

kydde, known

kyndeli, natural

kut, cut

layserly, leisurely

lew warme

leppys, leaps

leif, dear

leuer, liver

lies, lice

linne, lynne, linen

littyl, little

liggyn, lie

luke water

lyddis of the ighen, eyelids

lymayall, iron filings

looff, loaf

maake, make

mary, marrow

markeris, markers

merde, dung

medecyne, medesyn,

medlide, mingled

meele, melis, meal, meals

medill, mingle

moch, much

mony, many

mowothe, mouth

moystour, moisture

myddes, midst

mynne, mine

nasethrillis, nostrils

nares, nostrils

naamys, names

natheless, nevertheless

neppe, catmint

nettis, nets

notabull, notable

no moo, no more

nombur, number

not, a nut

nyghtis, nights

nym, nomme, take, taken

okys, oaks

onli, only

ony, honey

ones, onys, once

oouen, oven

oon, one

oppyn, open

ordenatili

owte, out

parlous, perlous, perilous

pennyd, feathered

personys, persons

pellittis, pellets

pike, pick

proceis, process

puttith, putteth

praty, pretty

properteis, properties

quarterit, quartered

rad, ? afraid

raton, a rat

restith, resteth

rede, ready

rebuket, rebuked

roys, roes

roungeth

rowse, rouse

saauue, save

serven, sew

semytoyn, semitone

se, see

shewys, shows

slau, slow

snakys, snakes

softeli, softly

somwatt, somewhat

soore, sore

sowre, soar

soper, supper

sowkyng, sucking

sonnys, sons

spanyellis, spaniels

snakys, snakes

taake, take

takys, takes

tempur, temper

termys, termis, terms

tho, thei, they

thridde, third

theyem, them

threis, thrice

theys, thighs

togeyder, together

toon, two

tweys, twice

tymeli, timely

thredis, threads

varri rede, very red

veri, very

vnthrefti, unthrifty

vreyne, urine

warbellith, warbelleth

watt, what

weere, where

weere, weary

ware, were

wengys, wings

whaan, when

whote nat, wot not

wroght, wrought

wode, wold, would

wight, swift

woddys, woods

wylis, while

yche, each

yghes, eyes

yolow, yellow

yowre, your

yowris, yours

We have now traced the various aspects in which this curious work may be viewed. There is not one of them that would not repay much deeper study, and the reader will, doubtless, sympathise with the writer in the wish that more could be discovered concerning the schoolmaster-printer. That his pioneer attempts to establish a printing press met with many discouragements was a matter of course; and, doubtless, he had many technical, business, and even social difficulties to overcome; for a reading public had to be created and patronage was scantily afforded. Nevertheless he struggled on for at least seven years, as we learn from the dates on his books, and whatever may have been his shortcomings, either as author or as printer, the fact of his having been one of the earliest promoters in this country of the grandest discovery which the mind of man has yet made, will unite all of us in honouring the memory and respecting the name, shadowy though it be, of the “Scole mayster of St. Albon.”

William Blades.

In so moch that gentiƚƚ men and honest persones haue greete delite in haukyng and desire to haue the maner to take haukys: and also how and in waat wyse they shulde gyde theym ordynateli: and to knaw the gentiƚƚ termys in communyng of theyr haukys: and to vnderstonde theyr sekeneses and enfirmitees: and also to knawe medicines for theym accordyng. and mony notabuƚƚ termys that ben vsed ī hawkyng both of their haukys and of the fowles that their hawkys shaƚƚ sley. Therfore thys book fowlowyng in a dew forme shewys veri knawlege of suche plesure to gentiƚƚ men and ꝑsonys disposed to se itt.

Thys is the maner to begynne to kepe hawkys: bot not aƚƚ maner hawkys. bott oonli Goshawkys: and Tercellis of Goshawkys. and spare hawkys. and in watt maner thay shaƚƚ be taake.

The maner to speke of hawkis fro an eeg to thei be habuƚƚ to be takene.

Now to speke of hawkys. first thay been Egges. and afterwarde they bene disclosed hawkys. and communeli goshawkys been disclosed. as sone as the choughe and in some place more tymeli after the contre is of hete. and tymeli bredyng.
¶ And we sħaƚƚ say that hawkis doon Eyer. and not brede. in the woodes. And we shaƚƚ say that howkys doon draw when they bere tymbering to their nestes. and nott they beld ne make ther nestes And in the tyme of their loue they caƚƚ. and not kauke. And we shaƚƚ say that they trede.
¶ And when they bene vnclosed and begynneth to feder any thyng of lengthe Anoon be kynde they wiƚƚ draw somwatt out of the nest: and draw to bowis. and come agayn to ther nest And then thay be clepit Bowessis ¶ And after saynt Margaretis day thay wiƚƚ flie fro tree to tree. And then thay bene calde Brawncheris. And then it is time for to take hem
¶ And .vij. nighttis be fore saynt Margaritis day &̄ .vij. nightis after is beste takyng of spare hawkes.

How ẏe shall demeẏn ẏow ī takẏng of hawkis & with wat instrumētis & how ẏe shall kide them

Who so wiƚƚ take hawkes he must haue nettis wich ben kalled vrines and tho must be made of good small threde. and it hade need to be died other green or blwe for espieng of thee hawke. and he most take with hym needeƚƚ and threde to ensile the hawkes that ben takien. And in this maner they must be ensiled. Take the needeƚƚ and threde: and put it thorow the ouer igh lid and so of that other. and make hem fast vnder the beke: thatt she se neuer a deeƚƚ and then sħe is ensiled as she awthe to be. Sum vsen to ensile hem with the needer igh lidde a bone the beke on the hede almost: bot that is the wors way For of reeson the ouer igh lidde closith more iustly then the nether be cause of the largenesse. When she is ensiled then bere thi hawke home on thi fiste and cast hir on a perch and let hir stande ther a night and a day and on that other day towarde eeuen. then take and cut eseli the thredes and take hem a way softeli for brekyng of the lyddis of the ighen. Then softe and faire begynne to fede her. and fair fare with her tiƚƚ sħe wiƚƚ sitte weeƚƚ vppon the fist. For it is drede for hurtyng of hir wengys. And then thessame night after the fedyng wake her aƚƚ nyght and the morow aƚƚ day. Then shee wiƚƚ be preui Inowgh to be reclamed. And the first meete that she shaƚƚ eete: lett it be hoot. and yeue her Inough ther of

Whan ẏowre hawke maẏ be draw to reclaẏme and the maner of hir dẏette

And if yowre hawke be harde pennyd: she may be drawne to be reclaymed For aƚƚ the while that she is tender pennyd: she is not habuƚƚ to be reclaymed ¶ And if she be a Goshawke or Terceƚƚ that shaƚƚ be reclaymed euer fede hym with wasħe meete at the drawyng. and at the reclaymyng. bot loke that hit be hoote. and in this maner wasħe it. Take the meet and go to the water and strike it vpp and downe in the water. and wringe the waater owte. and fede hir ther with and she be a brawncher. And if it bene an Eyesse thow most wasħ the meete clenner then ye doo to the brawncher. and with a linne cloth wipe it and fede hir. And euermore the thrid day yeue her castyng when she is fleyng if she be a Goshawke or Terceƚƚ in this maner: Take new blanket cloth and cut .v. pelettis therof of an inche longe. And take the flesħ and cutt .v. morceilis: and withe a knyues poynt make an hoole in eueri morceƚƚ. and put therin the pellettis of cloth. and take a fair disħ with water and put hem therin. Then take the hawke and yeue her a morceƚƚ of hoote meete the mowntenawns of halfe hir sooꝑ. Then take hit that lyth in the waaṫ. and fede hir for aƚƚ nyght.

How ẏe shall fede ẏowre hawke. and to knawe hir infirmiteis. & ther bene monẏ diueris of them

If yowre hawke be a spare hawke: euer fede hir with vnwascħ meet and looke that hir castyng be plumage. than looke that it be cleyn vnder the perch. and in the morow ye shal fynde the castyng vnder the perch. and ther ye shaƚƚ knowe whether the hawke be clene or noo. For sum gobbit wiƚƚ be yolow and sum greene. and sum glaymous. and sum cleere And if itt be yolow she engenderith the frounce. the wych is an eueƚƚ that wiƚƚ riese in the mowothe or in the cheke. And if it be grene. she engenderith the Ry. The condicion of this eueƚƚ is this. it wil arise in the hede and make the hede to sweƚƚ. &̄ the iyen aƚƚ glaymous. and dyrke· and bot it haue helpe: it wiƚƚ downe in to the legges. and maake the legges to rancle. and if it goo fro the legges in to the hede a gayne. thi hawke is bot loost. And if it be glaymous and roping she engenderith an eueƚƚ callid the Cray. that is whan an hawke may not muteyse

Merke wele ẏowre medicines here folowẏng

¶ A medicine for the frounce ī the mowth

Take a siluer spoone and put the smaƚƚ ende in the fyre tiƚƚ it be hoote. Then let holde the hawke and oppyn hir beke and brin the soore and anoynte it with the mary of a goose that hathe lyne longe. and she shaƚƚ be hoole. And if the frounce be wex as greete as a note. Than ther is a grubbe ther in. and then thow most cutt it with a Rasure in this maner. Lette hoolde the hawke: and slitte ther the soore is. and thew shalte fynde ther as it ware the mawe of a pegeon. Take it owte aƚƚ hoole. and take a payre of sheeris and cutt the hoole of the soore. and make it as fayre as ye may with a lynne cloth. and wipe clene the bloode a way. and anoynt the soore with bawme .iiii. dais arewe and afterwarde with papylyen. tiƚƚ it be hoole.

¶ how the frounce commẏthe.

The frounce commyth whan a man fedith his hawke withe Porke or cattis flesħ .iiii. days to geyder.

¶ how the Rẏ commẏthe.

For defawte of hoote meete this sekenese the Ry commyth.

¶ how the Craẏ commẏthe.

The Cray commyth of wasħ meete the wich is wasħ withe hoote water in the defawte of hoote meete. Also it commythe of thredis the wtch ben in the flesħ that the hawke is fedde with. For though thow pike the flesħ neuer so clene. yit thow shalte fynde thredes ther in.

¶ whan thẏn hawke shall bathe hẏm.

And euermore ech thridde day let thyn hawke bathe hym. aƚƚ the somer if it be mere wether. and onys in a weeke in wynter if it be fayre wether. and not ellis. And whan thow bathes thy hawke: euer yeue hir a morceƚƚ of hoote meete vnwasħ though she bene a Goshawke.

How ẏe maẏ cawse ẏowre hawke to flẏe withe a currage in the morow.

Iff ye wiƚƚ that yowre hawke flye in the morowtide. fede hir the nyght before with hoote mete. and wasħ thessame meete in vreyne and wryng owt the water clene. and that shaƚƚ make hir to haue lyst and currage to flie ī the morow in the best maner.

How ẏe shall gẏde ẏow if ẏowre hawke be full goorged and ẏe wode soone haue a flẏght.

Iff yowre hawke be fuƚƚ goorged. and that ye wold soone vppon haue a flighte take .iij. cornes of whete. and put hem in a morceƚƚ of flesħ. and yeue thessame morcellie to the hawke. and she wiƚƚ cast anoon aƚƚ that she hath with in her. and anoon after that she hath cast. Looke ye haue a morceƚƚ of hoote meete to yeue hir ¶ And if yowre hawke be ouergoorged. yeue her thessame medesyn.

¶ A medecẏne for the Rẏ

Take dayses leeuys. and stampe hem in a morter. and wrynge owt the Iuse. and with a penne put it in the hawkis nares Ones or twyes whan the hawke is smalle goorged. and a non after let hir tyre. and she shaƚƚ be hoole as a fysħ ¶ Or ellis take percelli Rootis and serue hir with theyem in thessame maner. and when she tyrith holde rew ī yowre honde with the tyring and that shaƚƚ make hir voide. bot it is perlous to vse it often that the Iuce faƚƚ ner spryng in to hir yghes.

¶ Also and ye yeue yowre hawke fresħ butter or the marow of hogges that is in the bone of the butte of porke. it shaƚƚ make hir to cast water wele at the nares. and it will kepe the nares opyn. bot it wiƚƚ make hir hawtyn and prowde

¶ A medecẏne for the Craẏ & moo folow

Take and chafe with yowre hondys the fundement of yowre hawke with luke water a longe tyme. and after that take the powder of Saxifrage or ellis the powder of Rewe. and a quantite of may butter. and temper hit weeƚƚ to geder tiƚƚ thay ben euen medlide. than putte it in a littyƚƚ box and stoppe it faste. & as oftyn as yow fede yowre hawke an hoole meele anoynt hire meete a littyƚƚ ther with. and that shaƚƚ make hir to loue meet the bettir for loue of the oyntement. and it shaƚƚ saaue hir fro the Cray and from mony oder sekeneses: that gender ofte in an hawke.

¶ Also take the hoote hert of a swyne or of a pigge and feede her .ij. days therwith. and she shaƚƚ be hoole.

¶ Also take porke and weete it in hoote mylke of a cowe. &̄ fede the hawke therwith. and that shaƚƚ make hir mutyse att the best.

¶ Also poorke with the mary of the boon of the but of porke shaƚƚ make hir mutise &̄ fede hir with booth to geder.

¶ Also vse hir to fresh butter and it wiƚƚ doo thessame.

¶ Also oon mele or .ij. at the most of the hoote leuer of a pig shaƚƚ make hir to mutyse weele. be ware ye yeue hir not to grete a goorge therof. for it is a perlous meete

¶ Also take y^e white of an egge. &̄ labur thessame ī a spoge as weele as ye wolde make glayre for rede Inke tiƚƚ it be like wat̄. put thessame ī a vesseƚƚ. & let the meete y^t shaƚƚ be for hir soꝑ: ly a stepe ther in aƚƚ the day be for. &̄ at night fede hir therw^t and that the wich shaƚƚ be for hir dyner in the mornyng let it ly aƚƚ the nyght. bot in any wyse that ye haue alway fressħ gleyre. and if hir fedyng be poorke it is the bettir. y^t is proued

¶ The kẏndeli termis that belong to hawkis

In the begynnyng of kyndeli spech of the termys that belong to hawkys here ye may fynde theym ¶ The first is holde fast at aƚƚ timys. and specially whan she batith. It is calde batyng. for she batith with hir selfe most oftyn causeles

¶ The secunde is rebate youre hawke: to yowre fyst. & thatt is whan yowre hawke batith. the leest meuyng that ye can make with yowre fyst she wiƚƚ rebate ayen vppon yowre fyst

¶ The thride is feede yowre hawke. and not gyue hir meete ¶ The fawrith is an hawke snytith. or sewith hir beke and not wipith hir beke ¶ The .v. youre hauke Ioukith. and not slepith ¶ The .vi. youre hawke proynith. and not pikith and she pronyth not bot whan she begynnyth at hir leggys. and settheth moystour like oyle. at hir taiƚƚ. and bawmeth hir fete &̄ strikyth the federis of hir wynges thorow her beke. and it is calde the note. than as she fetchis the oyle. And ye shaƚƚ vnderstonde an hawke wolde not be letted of hir proynyng. For that tyme that she proynyth she is lykyng and lusty. and whanne she hathe doone she wiƚƚ rowse hire myghtyly.

And sum tyme yowre hawke cowntenansis as she piked hir. and yet she proynith not. and then ye most say she Reformith hir federis and not piketh hir federis. ¶ The .vij yowre hawke colyeth and not beckyth ¶ The .viij. she rowsith and not shakith her selfe ¶ The .ix. she streynith and not Clithith nor Cratchith ¶ The .x she mantellith and not stretchith whan she puttith her leges from hir oon after an other: and hir wynges folow after hier leggꝭ. then she dooth mantiƚƚ hir and whaan she hath mantilled hir and bryngith booth her wynges to geider ouer hir backe ye shaƚƚ say yowre hawke warbellith hir wynges. and that is oon terme dewe therfore ¶ The .xi ye shaƚƚ say yowre hawke mutessith or mutith and not sklysith. ¶ The .xij ye shaƚƚ say cast yowre hawke to the perch. and not set youre hawke vppon the perch.

Here shal ẏe vnderstonde furthermore other maner of termẏs that belong vn to hawkis for to cōmende them for diuerse of theẏre propirteis

First ye shaƚƚ say This is a fayr hawke. an hudge hauke a longe hawke. a short thike hawke. &̄ say not this is a grete hawke. also ye shaƚƚ say this hauke has a large beke Or a shortt beke. and caƚƚ it not bille. an hudge hede or a smaƚƚ hede fayre sesoned ye shaƚƚ say yowre hawke is fuƚƚ goorged and not cropped. and yowre hawke puttithouer and endueth. and yet she dooth booth dyuersely.

¶ How ẏowre hawke puttithouer

An hawke puttithouer when she remeuith the mete from hir goorge in to hir bowillis. And thus ye shaƚƚ knawe it whan she puttithouer she trauersith withe hir bodi. and specialli with the necke: as a Crane doothe or an other bridde

¶ whan ẏe shall saẏ enduth & embowellid

An hawke enduth neuer as long as hir bowillis bene fuƚƚ at her fedyng. bot assone as she is fedde. and restith she enduthe littiƚƚ and littiƚƚ. And if her goorge be wide and the boweƚƚ any thyng stiffid. ye shaƚƚ say she is embowellid and hath not fully endewed and as long as ye may fele any thyng in hir bowellis it is perlous to gyue her any mete.

¶ Merke well theẏs termẏs folowẏng

Say an hawke hath a long wyng. a faire long tayƚƚ with vi barris owt. and stondith vppon the .vii. This hawke is entirpenned That is to say when the federis of the wynges bene bitwen the body and the thighis. This hawke has an hudge legge or a flat leg. or a rownde legge. or a faire enserid legge

¶ To knawe the maill of an hawke

Hawkes haue white maiƚƚ. Canuasmaiƚƚ or Rede maiƚƚ. And som caƚƚ Rede maiƚƚ Iren mayƚƚ. white maiƚƚ is soone knawe. Canuasmaiƚƚ is betwene white maiƚƚ and Iron maiƚƚ. And Iron maiƚƚ is varri Rede.

¶ Plumage. and Caste ẏowre hawke.

¶ A Goshawke nor a terceƚƚ in thare sore aage haue nott thau mayles named. bot it is calde their plumage. and after the cote. it is calde theyr Maiƚƚ ¶ And if yowr hawke reward to any fowle by countenance for to flee ther to ye shaƚƚ say cast the hawke ther to. and not lett fli ther to.

¶ Nomme or seesid.

¶ And if yowre hawke Nomme a fowle. and the fowle breke a way fro hir. she hath discomfet mony federes of the fowle. and is brokyn a way for in kyndeli spech ye shaƚƚ say youre hawke hath Nomme or seesid a fowle and not take it

¶ werfore an hawke is calde a Rifelere.

¶ And oft tyme it happith mony an hawke for egernesse when he shulde Nomme a fowle he seesith bot the federis. and as ofte as he doos so he Riflith. therfore such hawkys been called Rifeleres if they doo ofte so.

How ẏe shall naame the memberes of ẏowre hawkis in conuenient termes.

Now ye shaƚƚ vnderstande the naamys off the membries of hawkys: to begynne at hir fete and goo vpwarde as knyghttis been harnesside and armeed. & so we shaƚƚ enarme her

¶ Talons.

Fyrst the grete Clees behynde. that strenyth the bake of the hande. ye shaƚƚ caƚƚ hom Talons

¶ Pownces.

The Clees with ī the fote ye shaƚƚ caƚƚ of right her Pownces

¶ Longe Sengles.

Bott certaynly the Clees that are vppon the medyƚƚ stretcheris ye shaƚƚ caƚƚ the loong Sengles.

¶ Petẏ Sengles.

And the vttermest Clees ye shaƚƚ caƚƚ the Pety Sengles

¶ The keẏ or Closer.

Vnderstond ye also that the longe Senclees be calde the key of the fote. or the Closer. For what thyng som euer it be y^t yowre hawke strenyth: open that Sengle. and aƚƚ the fote is oppen· for the strength ther of fortyfieth aƚƚ the fote.

¶ Seris of waterẏ or waxẏ colowre.

Knawe ye: that the skynne a bowte yowre hawkys legges & his fete is calde: the Seris of hir legges and hir fete. whether thay be watery hewed or of waxy colowre yolowe.

¶ The Beme feder. Full Sommẏd and Reclaẏmede.

An hawke hath .xij. federis vppon his tayle. and oon principaƚƚ feder of thessame is in the myddis. and in maner aƚƚ that oder bene couertid vnder thessame feder. and that is called the Beme feder of the tayle. And ther gooth blacke barris ouerwarde the tayle. and thos same barris shaƚƚ telle yow whan she is fuƚƚ summed. or fuƚƚ fermyd. For whan she is fuƚƚ barrid she stondith vppon .vij. and then she is perfite rede to be Reclaymede.
¶ Ye shaƚƚ vnderstonde that as longe as an hawke stondeth vnder the nombre of .vij. barris. And she be in hir sore aage: it most be sayde that she is not fuƚƚ summed. for so longe she is bot tender Pennyd whether she be brawncher or Eyes.
¶ And iff she be a mewed hawke. and stonde within .vij. barris. ye shaƚƚ say she is not fuƚƚ fermed. for she is not habuƚƚ to be Reclaymed. be cause she is drawe to soone owt of the mewe for she is not harde pennyde. no more than a soore hawke.

¶ Braẏles or Braẏlfederẏs. Degouted

To knaw forthermor of hawkes. an hawke hath long smale white federis. hangyng vndeer the tayƚƚ: from hir boweƚƚ downe warde. and the same federis ye shaƚƚ caƚƚ the brayles or the brayle federis. And communely euery goshawke and euery tercellis braylis bene bysprenged with blake speckes. like Armyns. and for aƚƚ that thay bene accomptid neuer the better. Bot and a sparehawke be so Ermyned vppon the brayles. or a Musket. oder ye shaƚƚ say she is Degouted to the vttermost brayle. and much it betokynis hardenes.

¶ Brest federẏs. Plumage. Barbe federẏs. Pendaunt federẏs.

The federis abowte the formore parteys of an hawke: becalled the brest feederis. & the feederis vnd the wynges are plumage The federis vnder the beke be calde the barbe federis. And the federis that bene at the Ioynte: at the hawkes kne thay stonde hangyng and sharppe at thendes. thos be calde the pendaunte federis.

¶ Flagg or faggis federẏs.

The federis at the wynges next the body be calde the flaggꝭ or the faggꝭ federis.

¶ Beme federes of the wẏng  Sercell

And the long federis of the wynges of an hawke bene calde the beme federis of the wyng. And the federis that sum caƚƚ the pynyon feder. of a noder fowle. of an hawke: it is calde the Serceƚƚ ¶ And ye shaƚƚ vnderstonde iff an hawke be in mewe y^t same serceƚƚ feder shaƚƚ be the last feder that she wiƚƚ cast. and tyƚƚ that be cast. she is neuer mewed. yit it has bene seen: that hawkes haue cast that same first as I haue herde say. bot that other Rewle is gendraƚƚ. and whan she hath cast hir sercellis in mew. then and not erst it is tyme for to fede hir with wasħ meete and to begynne to ensayme hire.

¶ Ensaẏme

Ensayme of an hawke is the grece. and bot if that be take a way with fedyng of wasħ meete and otherwyse as it shaƚƚ be declared here after. she wiƚƚ gedder a paneƚƚ wich may be hir vttermost confusion. and she flye therwith. and take blood. and colde ther vppon.

¶ Couertis or couert

Ther bene also federis that cloos vppon the sarcellis. and thossame be calde the couertis or the couert federis. and so aƚƚ the federis be calde that bene next ouer the long beme federis. and the fagg federis vppon the wynges.

¶ Backe federis.

¶ The federis vppon the backe halfe be called the backe federis.

¶ Beke Clape Nares Sere

¶ The Beke of the hawke is the vpper parte that is croked.
¶ The neder parte of hir beke is calde the clape of the hawke.
¶ The Hoolis in the hawkes beke bene callede the Nares.
¶ The yolow be twene y^e Beke &̄ y^e yeghen is calde y^e Sere.

¶ Crẏnettis.

Ther be oon an hawke long smale blake federis: like heres about the sere &̄ thossame: be calde Crinettis of y^e hawke.

¶ Sore aage.

¶ Ye shaƚƚ vnderstonde that the first yere of an hawke whether she be calde Brawncher or Eyesħ. that first yere is calde hir sore aage. and aƚƚ that yere she is calde a sore hawke. for and she eskape that yere. with good fedyng she is likly to endure longe.

¶ To Reclaẏme an hawke

Iff ye wiƚƚ Reclaym yowre hawke ye most departe oon mele in .iij. melis. vnto tyme that she wiƚƚ come to Reclayme. and whan she wiƚƚ come to Reclayme encrece her melis euery day better and better. And or she come to the Reclame make her that she sowre not. For thogh she be wele Reclaymed hit may happyn that she wiƚƚ sowre: so hegh in to the Eyre. that ye shaƚƚ Nether se hir nor fynde hir.

¶ And iff yowre hawke shaƚƚ flie to the partrich. looke that ye Ensayme her or she flie. whether she be Brawncher or Eyes Or mewed hawke.

¶ whẏ an hawke is called an Eẏes.

An hawke is calde an Eyes of hir Eyghen. for an hauke that is broght vp vnder a Bussard or a Puttocke: as mony be: hath wateri Eyghen. For whan they be disclosed and kepit in ferme tyƚƚ thay be fuƚƚ summyd. ye shaƚƚ knawe theym by theyr wateri Eyghen. And also hir looke wiƚƚ not be so quycke as a Brawncheris is. and so be cause the best knawlege is by the Eygh. they be calde Eyeses.

¶ Ye may also knawe an Eyes. bi the palenese of the seres of her legges of the sere ouer the beke. And also by the tayntys that be vppon her tayƚƚ and her wengys wiche tayntys com for lacke of fedyng. when thay be Eyes.

¶ what a taẏnt is.

A Taynt is a thyng that gooth ouerwarte the federis of the wynges. and of the tayƚƚ lyke as and it were eetyn with wormys and it begynyth first to brede at the body. in the penne and that same penne shaƚƚ frete asonder. and falle a way thurrow thessame taynte and then is the hawke disparagid for aƚƚ that yere.

¶ Medecẏnẏs to Ensaẏme ẏowre hawke

Take the Rote of Rasue and do it in clene water. and lay thy flesħ ther in. to temper a grete whyle. and yeue it to yowre hawke to eete. and if she eete therof. drede not bot hit shaƚƚ benymme hir grece. bot within .iij. days she shaƚƚ not grettely abate.

¶ Also take puliaƚƚ and garlek and stampe it wele to geder. and wrynge owte the Iuce in a dysħ. and then weete the flesħ ther in. and fede yowre hawke therwyth. and bot it tempur yowre hawke. that is to say ensayme yowre hawke. with in .iiij. days. I merueƚƚ Bot looke eueri day that ye make new Iuce and whan ye fede hir. weete yowre meete ther in.

¶ Also take the Iuce of percelly Moris otherwise calde percelly Rootis. and thossame of Isop. and wasħ yowre flesħ ther in and yowre hawke shaƚƚ be Ensaymed kyndly. and no grete abate to the hawke.

¶ Som vse to lay thare flesħ in water almost a day. and yeue thessame to the hawke at soper. and that at lyth aƚƚ nyght. to geue to hir in the mornyng. and thus to fede hem in mew or thay be drawen a bowte a monyth or .vi. weekys. and to ensayme theym or thay com on fist. as sone as thay cast theyr cerceƚƚ. then is the tyme to begynne to fede hem soo.

¶ How ẏowre hawke ensaẏmẏthe

Understonde ye for certayn: that as longe as yowre hawkes fete be blakysħ and rough: she is fuƚƚ of grece. and euer as she ensaymyth. hir fete wiƚƚ wax yolow and smothe

How ẏe shall gẏde ẏow whan ẏowre hawke is redẏ to flie. Also ẏe shall saẏ put vp a partriche

Whan ye haue ensaymed yowre hawke: and Reclaymyd hir. and that she is redi to flie to the partrich. ye most take a partrich in yowre bagge. and goo in to the felde. and let yowre spanyellis fynde a Couy of partrichys. and when thay be put vpp. and begynne to scatre. ye most haue markeris to marke som of thaym. and then cowple vp yowre houndys. wan ye haue so doon. let sum felow of yowris preueli take the partrich owte of yowre bagge. and ty it by the legge: with a creaunce. and cast it vp as high as he can. and as soon as the hawke seith hir she wiƚƚ flie ther to. and if yowre hawke sees the partirich a boone. yeue hir a rewarde: theruppon. and go after y^t by laysoure to the partrich that be marked and doo as I shaƚƚ teƚƚ yow here folowyng.

¶ Iff ye haue a chastised hounde: that wiƚƚ be rebuket: and is a Retriuer. vncouple him and no moo of yowre houndis. and goo to a sengler partrich: of the couy so sparplid. and be as nygh as ye can to the Risyng therof and if yowre hawke desire cast hir to it. and if she take it then is yowre hawke made for that yere. and of thessame partrich that she sleth. thus ye moost rewarde hir as it shewith here next folowyng.

¶ how ẏe shall rewarde ẏowre hawke.

Take a knyfe and cutt the hede and the necke from the body of the partrich. and stripe the skynne a way from the necke. and yeue that same to the hawke. and couer the body of the fowle with a bonett or an hatt. and lay thessayd hede and the necke theruppon. and if she wiƚƚ forsake the fowle that she plumyth on. and com to the rewarde. then preuyli take a way the partrich. and rewarde yowre hawke with the Brayne. and the necke. Beware that she eete no bonys. for that is eueƚƚ to endewe. and it wiƚƚ make hir vnlusty: for to flye. And thus ye most serue hir of as many as she sleth. bot let hir rewarde be the lasse. for ellis she may be sone fuƚƚ goorged. and then she may flye no more a grete while.

¶ how ẏowre hawke shall Reioẏse.

And whan yowre hawke hath sloyne a fowle. and is rewarded as I haue sayde. let hir not flie in no whise tyƚƚ y^t she haue Reioysed hir. that is to say. tyll she haue sewed. or snyded her beke. or ellys rowsed her. and whan she hath done any of theys. or aƚƚ. go and retriue moo and she wiƚƚ nym plente.

Whan ẏowre hawke hath nomme a fowle how ẏe shall do that ẏe rebuke not the hawke.

Lerne wele oon thyng. and beware therof. whan yowre hauke hathe nomme a partrich. stonde a goode way of. and come not to nygh her. and dryue a way yowre houndys for rebukyng of hir. for many hawkys loue noon howndys. and also many howndys wiƚƚ benymme theym theyre gamme from ther fote. and that is parlous. and whiles yowre hawke plumith cumme softely towarde hir. alway nere and nere. and if she leue plumyng. and loke vppon yow. stonde styƚƚ and cherke hir. and whistyƚƚ hir. tyƚƚ she plume ayen. and thus serue hir tyƚƚ ye be right nere hir. Than softe and layserly: faƚƚ oppon yowre kneys. and preuely while she plumyth sett yowre honde and be sure of the gesse. and than ye may gyde aƚƚ thyng as ye wyƚƚ. and if ye doo the contrary: she wiƚƚ for feere cary hir game or let it go quyke. and that is bot losse to yow and yowre hawke also.

A medecẏne for to make an hawke to cast that is a comberẏd with castẏng with in her bodẏ

Take the Iuce of Salandyne. and wete a morceƚƚ of flesħ therin. the mowntenaunce of a Note. and yeue that morceƚƚ to the hawke. and that shaƚƚ make hir for to cast hir olde casttyng. and the hawke shaƚƚ be safe.

¶ A medecẏne for an hawke that will soure

Wassħ the flesħ that yowre hawke shaƚƚ be fedde with: in y^e Iuce of feneƚƚ. and that shaƚƚ take away that pride from hir and make hir to leue hir sowryng whether she be lene or fatte. And mony tymes an hawke wiƚƚ sowre whan she lackyth bathyng.

¶ A medecẏne for an hawke that is lowse.

Take quycke siluer and put it in a bassien of brasse. and do ther to saladyne: and askys. and medyƚƚ it wele to geder. tyƚƚ aƚƚ the quycke siluer be dede. and medyƚƚ therto fat of bonnys. and anoynte the hawke ther with. and hang it aboute hir necke tyƚƚ it faƚƚ a way. and that shaƚƚ slee the lies.

¶ Also powdre of orpement blowen vppon an hawke: with a penne shaƚƚ slee the lies.

¶ Also take a dagon or pece of Rough blanket vnshoron and holde it to the fire. vnto tyme it be thorough owte warme and wrappe the hawke therin. and than holde hir softely and stylly. for hurtyng in yowre hondys. and the vermyn wiƚƚ crepe in to the cloth.

¶ Also holde hir in the sonne in a fayre day. & ye shaƚƚ se the vermyn crepe owte vppon her federis. then take a knyfe and wete the oon side of the blade therof w^t yowre mowth. &̄ alway as thay appere lay the wete side of the knyfe to theym. and they wiƚƚ cleue ther to. and then ye may slee thaym.

¶ The opẏnẏon of Ostregiers.

After the opynyon of many Ostregiers: and ye fede yowre hawke contynually with Porke with Iayes. with Pyes. Or especially bere hir moch in Rayeny weder. thay shaƚƚ be lowse.

¶ Ostregeris. Speruiteris. Faukeneris.

Now be cause I speke of Ostregeris: ye shaƚƚ vnderstonde that thay be calde Ostregeris that kepe Goshawkys. or Tercellis. and tho that kepe Sperhawkys and muskettys ben called Speruiteris. and keperis of aƚƚ other hawkys ben callidde Faukeneris.

¶ The length of the Gesse. Lewnes. Tẏrettis. and how theẏ be fastined. & Bewettis

Hawkys haue aboute ther legges Gesse made of leder most commynly. some of silke. wich shulde be no lenger bot that the knottis of theym shulde. appere in myddys of the lefte honde: betwene the longe fyngre and the leche fyngre. be cause the lewnes shulde be fastened to theym. with a payre of tyrettis. wich tyrettis shuld rest vppon the lewnes. and not vppon the gesses. for hyngyng and fastynyng vppon trees when she flyeth. and the saame lewnes. yow shaƚƚ fastyn than abowte yowre lyttyƚƚ fyngre slackely. in compaysyng the saame in .iiij. or .v. folde. as a bowstryng vnocupyede and the terettys serue to kepe hir from wyndyng whan she bathes ¶ Also thessame letheris that be putt in hir bellis: to be fastyned a boute hir leggys ye shaƚƚ calle Bewettis.

¶ Creaunce.

Also ye shaƚƚ caƚƚ the long lyne that ye do caƚƚ youre hawke to Reclaym with: yowre Creaunce. what so euer it be.

¶ A medecẏne for an hawke that will cast flesh

Putt the flesħ that yowre hawke shaƚƚ eete: in fayre water. and fede her therwith .iij. days. and she shaƚƚ holde hir flesħ at the best.

¶ A medecẏne for an hawke that has lost here corrage.

An hawke that hath loost her corrage: aman may knawe if he wiƚƚ take good hede. For siche is hir maner. whan she is cast to a fowle. she fleith a waywarde as thogh she knewe nott the fowle. Or ellis she wiƚƚ flie a littyƚƚ way after. and a noon she yeueth it vpp. and for suche an hawke thys is a goode medecyn.

¶ Take Oyle of spayne and tempere it with clere wyne. and with the yolke of an egge and put therin befe. and therof yeue to yowre hawke .v. morcellis. and then set hir in the sonne. and at euen fede hir with an olde hote coluer. and if ye fede hir thꝰ iij tymys that hawke was neuer so lusty nor so Ioly before. as she wiƚƚ be after and come to hir owne corege.

¶ Othir make poudre of mecles that stynkith. and putt the poudre on the flesħ of a pecoke and mediƚƚ the blode of the pecoke among the poudre. and make hir to eete the flesħ.

A medecẏne that an hawke shall not lie ī mew for vnlustẏnese.

Take ferne Rotis that growith on an Oke. and oke appillis and make Iuce of theym. and wete hir flesħ therin. &̄ feede the hawke .ij. timys or .iij. and that shaƚƚ make hir to leue that

¶ A medicine for an hawke that hath the teẏne

An hawke that hath the teyne a man may sone knaw if he take hede. for this is hir maner She wiƚƚ pante more for oon batyng then an other for .iiij. & if she shulde flie a littyƚƚ wile she shuld almost lese her breth. whether she be fatte or lene. and alway she makyth heuy chere. and for that this is the medycyne.

Take a quantyte of the Redenesse of haseƚƚ with the poudre of Rasne and peper and somwhat of gynger. and make thereof in fresħ grece iij. pellettys and holde the howke to the fire and when she felith the hete make hir to swalowe the .iij pellettys by strength. and knytte fast her beke that she cast it not owte and do so thries. and she shaƚƚ be safe.

¶ Also take Rasne and Rubarbe. and grynde it to gedre. and make Iuce therof and wete the flesħ therin. and yeue it hir to eete. and she shaƚƚ be hooƚƚ.

¶ Also take alisawndre and the Roote of prima rose and the Roote of gro gnauteles and seeth aƚƚ in the bottre of a kow and yeue hir .iij morcellis euery day vnto the tyme that she be hoole. and looke that she be voide when ye yeue hir the medecyne.

How a man shall take an hawke fro the Eẏrer

Who so takys an hawke from the Eyerer: hym behoueth to doo wisely. in bryngyng hym easeli. and to kepe him wele from colde. and from hurtyng of theyr bonys. for thay be fuƚƚ tendre. and thay most haue grete rest. and thay may not haue stynkyng & filthy Eyre bot as clene as can &̄ may be thoght. and euermore yeue him clene meete. and hote. &̄ a littyƚƚ & oftyn. & change oftyn ther meete bot loke it be hot and cutt her meete in to smale morcellis. for thay shulde nott tyre on bonys tyƚƚ they myght flie. Then after when she begynnyth to penne. and plumyth. and spalchith and pikith her selfe. Putt hir in a cloose warme place. that no fulmertis nor fecheus. ne other vermyn com nott in to hir. and let the place be secure from wynde and rayne. and then she wiƚƚ preue hir selfe and euer more yeue hir good hote meetys. For it is better to a man to fede his hawke while she is tendre with hoote meetis. to make hir good with somme cost. then to fede hir with eueƚƚ meetis to make hir vnthrefti with lytyƚƚ cost. ¶ And looke whan she begynnyth to ferme then yeue hir bathyng.

A medecẏne for wormẏs in an hawke wiche sekenesse is called the Fẏlaundris.

Merke wele this sekenese and beware therof. This is the medecyne therfore. ye shaƚƚ take an herbe that is called Neppe and putt it in a smaƚƚ gut of a Capon or of an henne. and knyt it with a threde. and let hir Resaue it hooƚƚ. and she shaƚƚ be hooƚƚ and saafe  ¶ Thus ye shaƚƚ knawe whan yowre hawke hath wormys in hir bowke. Looke whan she hath castyng and ye shaƚƚ fynde oon or .ij. a bowte hir castyng place iff she haue ony.

¶ A medecẏne foor an hawke that castẏs wormẏs at the foundemēt what wormis that thei be

Take the lymayƚƚ of Iren: &̄ medyƚƚ it w^t flesħ of porke &̄ yeue it to y^e hauke .ij. days for to heete. and she shaƚƚ be hooƚƚ

A medecẏne for an hawke that hath a sekenesse the wich is called the aggresteẏne.

Whan ye se yowre hawke hurte his fete with his Beke. and pullyth her tayƚƚ. then she hath the aggresteyne. For this sekennese take Merde of a dove. and of a shepe. and of an allow. and stronge vynegre. and do aƚƚ softely in a bassyn of brasse. &̄ Medyƚƚ hem wele to geder: to serue .iij. days after. and yeue hir flesħ of a coluer with ony and with powder of peper. and set hir in a derke place. and doo so .iv. days. and when ye see New federis in the tayƚƚ. wasħ hir with euerose. and she shaƚƚ be hoole and saafe.

¶ A medecẏne for an hawke that hath the croampe in hir wẏnges and how it cummẏth.

For this Croampe take a whyte looff of brede sumwat colder then it commyth owt of the oouen. and let holde the hawke sooftely for hurtyng. and kut the loofe almoost thorow owte. and display the wynge esely. and holde it betwene the .ij. partes of the loofe. and let it be hoolde so. the space of alfe a quarter of an howre. and she shaƚƚ be hoole.

¶ The Croampe commyth to an hawke with takyng of coolde in hir yowthe. Therfore it is goode for an hawke to kepe hir warme: yonge and hoold. and this medycyne is good at aƚƚ tymes for hir whether she be yonge or holde.

Let not an hawke be put in mew to late bot in this maner as it folowth. if ẏe loue ẏoure hawke

Iff ye loue wele yowre hawke. kepe her wele. and put hir nott late in mewe. for who so for couetesnese of flieng leses the tyme of his hawke mewyng. and withholdis her to long therfro he may after putt hir ī mewe at auenture. for then a parte of hir mewying tyme is past. ¶ Who so puttyth his hawke in mewe in the begynning of Lentyn. if she be kepit as she awth to be she shaƚƚ be mewed. in the begynnyng of Auguste.

¶ how ẏe shall dispose and ordaẏn ẏowre mewe

Sett and dispose yowre mewe. in this maner so. that no weseƚƚ ner pulcatt ner non other vermyn entre ther to Ner none wynde. ner no grate colde Ner that it be ouer hote. Let that on parte of the mewe be turned to warde the sonne. so that in the moost parte of the day: the sonne may come Inne.
¶ Also ye most se that she be not auexed ner greued withe mych noyse. ner with song of men. and that no manner folkes come to hir. bot oonly he that fedyth hir.
¶ It behouyth that yowre hawke haue a fedyng stokke in hir mewe. and a longe stryng tyed therto: to fastyn hir mete with for ellis she wiƚƚ cary it a bowte the hous. and soyle it with dust And perauenture she wiƚƚ hyde it tiƚƚ it stynke. and then fede vppon it. and that myght be hir deth. and therfor when it is bondyn to the sayd fedyng stocke. she shaƚƚ nether at the fedyng ner at the tyryng ne at the lightyng ne at the Rysyng hurtte hir selfe. And whan she hath fedde. take a way the remenaunt if any leeue. and in anywyse that she haue clene mete. and att euery meeƚƚ fresħ. for of stale metis and eueƚƚ metis she shal engender mony sekeneses. ¶ And loke ye go neuer to yowre mew hot when ye shaƚƚ yeue yowre hawke meete. or ellis to bryng water to bathe her. and suffyr no Rayn to weete hir at no tyme. and ye may. and as for hir bathyng that shaƚƚ no thīg hynder hir mewyng.

¶ The maner how a man shall put an hawke in to mewe. and that is to be wele nooted.

Off oon thyng ye most be ware weeƚƚ yff she haue any sekenes that ye make her hole or ye put hir in mewe. for as I vnterstonde a seke hawke shaƚƚ neuer mew weƚƚ. for though she mewe she shaƚƚ not endure bot while she is grete and fatte. for at the abatyng of hir astate she may no lenger endure.

¶ Some tyme with owt any medicyne many men deuysyn hou thay myght mew ther hawkys for sum put hawkys in mew at high estate. and sum when thay be right low. and sum whan thay be fuƚƚ. and sum when they be Empty and lene. and sume when thay be myserabuƚƚ lene. Bot therof it is no force. iff she be hole Neuertheles. I shaƚƚ say myn aduyce as I haue sene &̄ lerned.

Who so puttith a Goshawke or a Terceƚƚ or a spere hawke in to mew so high that she may be no higher. she wiƚƚ holde hir longe in the poynt: or that she lese or lent any federis. And who so puttith hir in mew lene. it will be long or she be remounted and who so puttith hir in mew to hungry and to lene: if she haue meete at hir wiƚƚ she wiƚƚ eete to moch. be cause of hungre. and ꝑauenture she may be dede ther by. as hath ofte be sene

Bot who so wiƚƚ that an hawke endure and mew kyndli. myn counceƚƚ it is that she be not to high noder to low. noder in grete destresse of hungre. bot like as she wolde flee best then take hede the first day of to moch eetyng. vnto tyme that she be stawnchid and after that a man may take her sich mete as I shaƚƚ teƚƚ more playnli here after

In what maner and how a man shall fede his hawke in mewe.

Loke with wat meetis she hath bene most vsed to be fedde and fede hir therwith .viij. days contynualli. and tho .viij. days yeue hir birdis Inow. both morow and euyn. and let hir plomme vppon hem wele. and take castyng of the plomage. and that shaƚƚ talawnt hir wele. and cause her to haue goode appetide and it shaƚƚ clense wele hir bowillis and whan she is weeƚƚ clensed. ye may yeue hir what meete that ye wiƚƚ so it be clene and fresħ

¶ Bot the beste mete to make an hawke to mewe moost sone wyth owte any medecyne is the fleshe of a kydde and of a yong Swanne and of a chikyn and especiaƚƚ Ratonys flesħ so thei be not assaughte Noon like to hit and of a yong goos for sich meete is hote of it selfe.

¶ And take gobittis of grete fresħ Elis. and specialli the colpon next the Naueƚƚ. and weete it in hote blode of moton  it is goode to make her to mewe. bot specialli it shaƚƚ make her wight after hir soore aage

¶ Thees sayd fleshes bene goode to mewe an hawke: and to kepe hir in state bot loke she haue goode plente euery day. so that she Rather leue parte then lacke any. and euery .ijj. day let hir bath if she lyst

¶ And when she waxith nygh ferme yeue hir hennys and fatt porke and of an hounde is passing good.

¶ An hawke is neuer fuƚƚ ferme nor redy forto drawe owte of mew vnto tyme hir serceƚƚ be fuƚƚ groyn. yet haue I sene sū folkys take hem owte of mewe when the sarceƚƚ were bot halfe ispronge. and that is parlous. for they are not then harde penned.

¶ Som folkys vsen when an hawke has cast hir sarceƚƚ to begynne and wasħ hir meete. and fede hir so in mew with wasħ meete a monyth or .vi. weekys or euer thay drawe thaym.

¶ Bot of aƚƚ fleshes after she is mewed. a resenable goorge of an hoote haare is beest. and also of a crowe hoote. bot it moste be wasħ in water: and then it is the better. For that wiƚƚ not benymmen hem hastely theyr grece. ner put hem in no grete febulnes. for it durith sumwat with hir.

¶ To make an hawke to mew tẏmeli with owt anẏ hurtẏng of hir.

Now I shaƚƚ teƚƚ yow verray true medecynes for to mewe an hawke hastyly that ye shaƚƚ beleue for trowthe and ye wiƚƚ as-say theym.

¶ Ther be in woddys or in hedgis wormys calde edders that ben Redde of nature. and he is calde veꝑa. and also ther be snakys of thessame kynde. and they be verri bitter. Take .ij. or .iij of theym and smyte of ther hedes and thendys of theyr taylis. Then take a new erthen pot: that was neuer vsed. and cut hem ī to smaƚƚ gobettys. and put thossame therin. and let hem sethe stronglich. a grete while. at good layser. and let the pot be couered. that no ayre com owte of it ner no breth and let it sethe so long that the saame colpons seth to grece. then cast it out and doo a way the bonis. and geder the grece. and put it in a clene vessiƚƚ. and as oft as ye fede yowre hawke: anoȳt her meete therin. and let hir ete as moch as she wiƚƚ. and that meete shal mewe her at yowre awne wiƚƚ.

¶ A nother medecẏne.

Take whete: and put it in the brothe that thedderis were sothen in. and when ye se the whete begynnyth to cleue: take it owt and fede hennys or chykynnes therwith. and fede yowre hawke with thessame polayn.

Who so will that an hawke mewe not nor fall noon of hir federis. therfore here is a medecẏne

Take powder of Caneƚƚ. and the Iuce of franke cost and the Iuce of paranye. and take morcellis of flesħ .iij. or .iiij. if ye lust and weete them therin. and make the hawke to swalow hem and serue hir so mony tymys.

¶ Also take the skynne of a snake or of an Edder. and cut it in to smale peces. and temper it with hoote blode: and cause yowre hawke oftyn tyme to fede therof and she shaƚƚ not mewe.

¶ For the gowte in the throte.

When ye se yowre hawke blaw oftyn tymes: and that it commys of no batyng. ye may be sure she hath the gowte in the throte And for that Take the blode of a pekoc. and Encense myrabolanana. and clawis of gelofre. and caneƚƚ and gynger. and take of aƚƚ thes euynlich and medyƚƚ hem with pecokkys blode and seth it tyƚƚ it be thycke. and therof make morcellis. and yeue the hawke therof eueri day. at mydmorne and att Noone.

For the gowte in the hede and ī the Raẏnes.

When ye se yowre hawke may not endew her meete nor remoūte her astate. she hath the gowte in the hede and in the Raynes.

¶ Take Momyan̄ oderwise called momyn̄. among Poticaries ye may haue it. and the skynne of an haare and yeue it to yowre hawke to eete .ix. tymes with the flesħ of a catt. and iff she may holde that meette she shaƚƚ be saafe.

¶ A medecẏne for a sekenes called the fallera

When ye se that yowre hawkes clees wax white: then she has the fallera. For this sekenes take a blacke snake. and cutte a way the hede. and the tayƚƚ. and take the myddyƚƚ. and fry it in an erthyn pote. and take the grece and saue it. and anoynt the flesħ of a pecoke therwith and yeue it to the hawke for to eete viij. days: and ye haue no pecoke yeue hir flesħ of a colu̇ and after the .viij. days yeue hir a chekyn. and wasħ it a littil and yeue it hir to eete. and take the tenderist of the brest withe the ffresheƚƚ bone and let hir eete it. and if she amende anythyng she shaƚƚ be hooƚƚ.

A medecẏne for the crampe in the thigh in the legge and in the fote of an hawke.

When ye se youre hauke lay hir oon fote vppō her oder fote. she is take with the crampe. Then drawe hir blode vppon the fote y^t lies vppon that other fote. and vppon the legge also. and she shaƚƚ be hoole.

¶ For the Cogh or the poose.

Take powdre of Bays: and put it vppon the flesħ of a Coluer. and yeue it ofte to yowre hawke and with owte dowte she shaƚƚ be hoole.

¶ A medecẏne for the podagre.

When yowre hawkes fete be swollyn she hath the podagre then Take fresħ may butter and as moch of Oyƚƚ of olyf and of alyn. and chaufe it wele to gedre at the fiere and make therof of anoyntement. and anoynt the fete .iiij. days. and set hir in the sonne. and yeue hir flesħ of a cat. and if that auayƚƚ nott Seth the cuttyng of a vyne. and wrappe it a bowte the swellyng. and let hir sit vppon a colde stone and anoynt hir with butter or freshe grece. and she shaƚƚ be hooƚƚ.

A medecẏne for a sekenes within the bodẏ of an hauke and it shewith not outewarde how she shall be holpen and in what maner.

A man maẏ knaw by the chere. and vngladnes of an hawke this infirmyte bot yit it is straunge to knawe: thyngys that a man may not se: in what sekenes and what maner thay be greuyde and specialli whan a man whote not wherof it commyth ¶ Fede yowre hawke wele vppon an henne and then make her to fast .ij. days after: to avoide weele hir bowellis. The thryd day take hony soden̄ and fyƚƚ hir body fuƚƚ. and bynde hir beke that she cast it not owt of hir body and then set hir owtt in the sonne. and when it drawith towarde euen fede hir with an hoote fowle. for as I herde my maystris say and she be nott hooƚƚ herof. loke neuer oder medecyne.

For the passion that Goshawkis haue fastẏng

¶ Take the Rote of smaƚƚ Rysshes. and make Iuce of hem and weete yowre flesħ therin and make her to eete it.

¶ For hawkis that ben wonded.

Take a way the federis abowt the wonde and take the white of an Egge and Oyle of Olyue. and mediƚƚ it to geder. and anoynt the wonde and kepe it with white wyne. vnto tyme ye se dede flesħ. and then put in the wonde Escompe saƚƚ vnto tyme the dede flesħ be wastyde. after take encence: and clene as myche of that oon as of that oder. mediƚƚ it infere. and whan ye wiƚƚ anoynt the soore heete yowre oyntement and anoynt it with a pen: tyƚƚ the tyme the skynne grow ayenne. and if ye se dede flesħ theron: and woƚƚ haue it a way Take venecreke & then anoynt itt with this Oyntement afforsayde and she shaƚƚ be hooƚƚ

¶ A medecine for an hauke that has the artetik

When ye se yowre hawke fat abowte the hert trust it for trouth she hath the artetike. Therfore do let hir blode in the Origynal vayne. and after that yeue hir a frogge for to eete. &̄ she shaƚƚ be hooƚƚ

A medecine for an hauke combred ī the bowillis

When yowre hawke is Encombred in the bowillis ye shaƚƚ knaw it by hir Eyghes. for hir Eighen wiƚƚ be derke and she wiƚƚ looke vngladli and hir metessing wiƚƚ defowle hir foundement. Then take the hawkes meete and anoynt it with powdre of canneƚƚ and yeue it hir to eete. and she shaƚƚ be hooƚƚ.

¶ A medecẏne for an hawke that has the goute

Fede yowre hawke with an Irchyn onys or twyes. & it shaƚƚ helpe hir:

¶ A medecẏne for an hawke that hath mites.

Take the Iuce of wormewode and put it ther thay be and thei shaƚƚ dye.

¶ That an hauke vse hir craft all the seson to flẏe or lefe.

When ye go to the felde in the latter ende of hawkyng and desire that yowre hawke shaƚƚ vse hir crafte. Do to hir in this maner let hir sle a fowle. and let hir plym vppon it asmoch as she wiƚƚ. and when she hath plymmed Inough go to hir softely for frayng. and rewarde hir on the fowle. and after that ye may cast hir on a perch. & asweƚƚ she may vse hir craft so. as that she slew aƚƚ the yere.

¶ A medecẏne for an hauke that has the stoon

¶ Anoynt hir fundement with Oyƚƚ. and put the powder of alym with an hole straw.

¶ Also take an herbe callid cristis lardder. & anoynt hir mowthe within and she shaƚƚ be hooƚƚ.

¶ Also take smale flambe rotis and polipodi and the cornes of sporge and grinde it weeƚƚ and seeth it in butter. and drawe it thorugh a clooth. and make throf .iij. pellettis of the grettenes of a Not. and put it in his mowth in the morowtide. and loke that she be voide. and then let her fast tiƚƚ euensong. and fede hir littiƚƚ and littiƚƚ. and she shaƚƚ be hooƚƚ.

¶ A medecẏne for vermẏn.

Take the Iuce of the Roote of ffeneƚƚ. and do it where the vermyn be. and thay shaƚƚ dye.

¶ A medecine for the Reume that haukis haue

When ye se yowre hauke cloose her Eyghen. and shakith hir hede. then hath she the Reume in the hede. Therfore yeue hir larde of a gote the first day and the secunde yeue hir epatike with the flesħ of a chycon and she shaƚƚ be hooƚƚ.

¶ A medecẏne for haukis that bene drẏ and desẏre to drẏnke, to kepe hem moẏst in kẏnde.

¶ Take the Iuce of haarhounde and weete thyn hawkys mete therin. and fede her therwith onys or twyes. and she shaƚƚ be hooƚƚ.

For sekenes that haukis haue ī their Entrellis.

An hawke that is seke withi thentrayles: is of an oder aray then in oder sekeneses. for if she holde not her mete bot cast it. that is tokyn of the foule glet. for surfete of federis that be yeuen to hawkis in theyr yowth and afterwarde when thay come vnto trauayƚƚ. and ben anoyde of the Reuer then thay waxen slow to flye and desire forto rest. and when thauke is vppon hir perch then she wiƚƚ slepe forto putouer. at thentrīg and if she holde flesħ any while in hir goorge: it wiƚƚ loke as it wor sooden and when she is waked she assayeth to put ouer at thentryng. and it is agluttide and colded: with the glett y^t she hath engenderid. and if she shulde ascape she most put ouer. or ellis she most dye. or cast it and if she cast it she may be holepe with the medecyne.

¶ A medecẏne for the Entreẏllis.

Take yolkys of Egges rawe. and whan they be wele beton to geder. put therto spanyshe salte. and as mych hony therto. & weete therin thy fleshe. and fede thyn hawke .iij. days therwith and if she make daunger to eete it. let holde thyn hawke. and make hir to swalow .iij. or .iiij. morcellis in a day. and securli she shaƚƚ be hooƚƚ ¶ Yit I shaƚƚ say to yow a noder thyng. take hony at the choungyng of the moon. and a kene nettyƚƚ and therof make smaƚƚ powdre and when it is weƚƚ grownde. take y^e brest boon of an henne. and a noder of a coluer. and hakke it with a knyfe. and do a way the skynne. and do theron the powdre and aƚƚ hoote with the powdre fede hir. and do so thries. and she shaƚƚ be hooƚƚ.

¶ For sekenes of Swellẏng.

Iff an wicked felon be swollyn in sich a maner y^t a man maȳ heeƚƚ it. that the hawke shaƚƚ not dye thus a man may helpe hir strongly. and lengthe hir lyfe. bot the hawke wiƚƚ be very eegre and glettous of the seekenes. and therfor ye moost Take the Rote of comfory and sugre iliche mych. and sethe it in fresħ grece with the thridde parte of hony. and then draw it thorogh a fayre clooth. and oft yeue it to the hawke and she shaƚƚ amende.

For blaẏnis ī haukes mouthes cald frounches

Off the frounches it is dredde for hawkes. for it is aṅoyus sekenes. and drawith hir to deth. and with holdeth hir strengthe. for men sayn that it commyth of colde. For colde doth hawkes mych harme. and makyth flewme faƚƚ owte of the brayne &̄ the Eyghen wiƚƚ sweƚƚ and empeyre in her hede. and bot she haue hasteli helpe it wiƚƚ stoppe her nase thrillis. And therfor Take Feneƚƚ Maryaƚƚ and Kersis ilich moch. and sethe it & draw it thorough a cloth. and oderwhiles: wasħ her hede therw^t and put som in the Roofe of her mowth. and she shaƚƚ be saafe

¶ A medicine for an hauke that castis hir flesh

Wete hir fleshe in sarfoiƚƚ or ellis seeth Rafne in water and put her fleshe therin: when it boylith.

¶ A medecẏne for the Reume clepid Agrum

¶ When thou seeth thy hauke vppon his mouth and his chekis blobbed. then she hath thys sekenes calde Agrum. Therfor take a nedeƚƚ of siluer and hete it ī the fire. and brynne the Narellis thourogh owte. then anoynt it with oyle of Olyff.

¶ For to make an hawke grete and fatte.

Take a quantyte of poorke and ony and butter Iliche myche and porgede grece and do a way the skynne. and sethe hem to geder. and anoynt thy flesħ therin. and fede yowre hawke therwith. and she shaƚƚ encrece myghtely. Ellis take the wynges of an Eued. and fede hir and kepe hir from traueƚƚ and do so ofte though the eued be neuer so fatte. and if yowre hawke be not passing fat within a fortenet wondre I thynke.

¶ For booches that growe in an hawkis Iowe

Kutt theys botches with an knyfe. and let owte the mater of theym. and after clense theym clene with a syluer spone or ellis fille the hooƚƚ with a powdre of arnement Ibrent. and vppon that powdre do a littiƚƚ larde: that is resside and so it wiƚƚ a way.

Here is a goode medecẏne for an hawke that wyll not coom to Reclaẏme.

¶ Take fresħ butter and put therto sugre and put it in a clene cloth and Reclayme her to that and kepe it in a box in youre. bagge.

A medecẏne for hawkis that bene Refreẏned.

When ye se yowre hawke Nesyng and Castyng wat thorogh her Nostrellis or hir nares then dowteles she is Refraned. For that sekenes: take ye greynes of shaffelegre and of peper and grynde it weeƚƚ. and temper it with strong vynegre and put in hir Nares and in the Rooff of hir mowth and yeue hir flesħ to eete. and she shaƚƚ be saaff.

A medecẏne for hawkẏs that haue paẏne in theẏr croupes.

¶ Ye shaƚƚ take fayre Morsum and poudre of gelefre: and meddiƚƚ it to gedre. and yeue it to yowre hawke to eete. and if she holde it past the secunde day after. she shaƚƚ be hoole.

A medecẏne for the stoone in the fundement

¶ When yowre hawke may not metese then she hathe thatt sekenes calde the stoon. And for this sekenes: ye shaƚƚ take the hert of a swyne and the grece of a swyne. and cutt it with the flesħ of the hert and she shaƚƚ be holpe.

¶ A medecẏne for the drẏ Frounce.

For thys sekenes take the Roote of Pillipody that growth vppon Okys. and seth it a grete while then take it fro the fire and let it stonde and wax lew warme. then wasħ yowre flesħ therin. and feede yowre hawke .iij. tymes. and she shaƚƚ be hoole

¶ A medecẏne for wormẏs called anguellis

Take pressure made of a lombe that was borne in vntyme &̄ maake therof .iij. morcellis and put it in a gut of a coluer and fede her therwith and loke the hawke be voide when ye yeue hir thys medecyne.

¶ Also take Iuce of dragonys and put fuƚƚ the gut of a pegion and then cut it and departe it as the hawke may ouerswolow it. and put it in his body. and knytt his beke for castyng

¶ Also yeue hir the ballockys of a Buc as hote as thay ben cut owte. and make powdre of the pyntyƚƚ and cast it vppō the flesħ of a Cat. and fede her therwith & she shaƚƚ be hooƚƚ.

An hawke Tẏrith. Fedith. Goorgith. Bekith. Rousith. Enduẏth. Mutith. Perchẏth. Ioẏkith. Puttithouer. Proẏnẏth. Plommẏth. She warbullith. and mantellith.

She tyrith vppon Rumppys. She fedith on aƚƚ maner of flesħ. She goorgïth when she fillith hir goorge with meete. She bekyth when she sewith: that is to say she wypith hir beke. She Rousith when she shakith aƚƚ hir federis and hir body to gedre. She Enduyth when hir meete in hir bowellys faƚƚ to digestion. She mutith when she auoydith hir order. She perchith when she stondyth on any maner bowe or perch. She Ioykith when she slepith. She puttithouer when she Euoidith hir meete owte of hir goorge in to hir bowillis. She proynith when she fetchyth oyle with hir beke ou̇ hir tayle and anoyntith hir fetr & hir federis. She plōmyth when she pullith federis of any fowle or of any other thyng and castys hem from her She warbbelyth when she drawith booth her wyngys ouer the myddys of her boeke. and ther they mete both and softely shakyth them. and let hem faƚƚ ayen. And she mantyllith when she stretchith her oon wyng a long after her lege. and afterwarde that other wyng. and moost comynly she doth that affore or she warbelyth hir.

¶ The namẏs of a Spare hauke as Ostrigers and Sparuiters haue determẏned

Ther is a question axyd whether a man shaƚƚ caƚƚ a spare hawke Or a spere hawke Or an aspere hawke. & Ostrigers. and also Sparuiters: sayen she may be callid aƚƚ .iij. Namys. for thees resonys. She may be callid a Spere hawke for of aƚƚ the hawkys that ther be she is moost spere. that is to say moost tendre to kepe. for the leest mysdyetyng and mysentendyng sleth
¶ Also she may be calde an aspare hawke of sharpenesse of hir corage. and of hir lokyng quicly. and also of her fleyng For she is moost asper and sharpe in aƚƚ thyngꝭ that belong vnto hir of any other hawkys
¶ She may be also callid a spare hawke for .ij. Resones. oon is she sparith goshawkys and tercellys both. siche as ben in their soore aage. vnto tyme thay may be Reclaymyd. and made redy to flye. as Goshawkys and tercellys that be not fully mewed: vnto tyme they may be clene ensaymyd and redy to flye. for aƚƚ the whyle thay bene vnabuƚƚ. the spare hawke occupithe thesseson. and sleth the partrich weeƚƚ. that is to say froom saynt Margaritys day vnto it be lammas. and so forth in the yere.
¶ And she wyƚƚ slee weeƚƚ yong fesawntis: yong heth cockys in the begynnyng of the yere. And after Michelmas whan partriches passe her daunger I haue seen them made sum to sle the pie sum to sle the Tele vppon the Reuer: at the Iutte. sume to sle the wodecok and sum for the blacke bride and the thrushe.
¶ The wodecok is comborous to sle: bot if ther be crafte. therfore when ye come to a wode or a quech of bushus. cast yowre sparehawke in to a tre and beete the busħes then and if any wodecok a rise she wiƚƚ be sure therof. ¶ Ye most first make hir to a fowle cast vp owt of the bushes. and yowre hawke most sit on loofte as ye make hir to a partriche. Also as I sayde ye may caƚƚ hir a spare hawke: for an oder cause. for and ther weer a shippe fraght fuƚƚ of hawkis. and no thyng ellis. and ther were a spare hawke among thaym ther shuld no custom be payd because of hir. And so for the most comune name thay be calde spare hawkes for the resones a forsayd.

An hawke flieth to the vew  to the Beke. or to the Toll. Nō Crepe Querre Fer Iuttẏ &ċ

An hawke fleeth to the Ryuer dyuersis ways. and slethe the fowle dyuerli. That is to say she flieth to the vew or to the beke. or to the toƚƚ. & aƚƚ is bot oon. as ye shaƚƚ knawe here after She fleeth also to the quarre: to the crepe. and no mo ways bot thoos .iij. And she Nymmyth the fowle at the fer Iutty or at the Iutty ferre.

Now shall ẏe knaw what theis termes betokẏn & moo folowẏng. as Hut. Iuttẏ ferrẏ. Mounte Raundon. Crepe. Ennewed.

A Goshawke or a terceƚƚ that shaƚƚ flee to the vew. to the toƚƚ or to the beke. in this maner she is taught ye most fynde a fowle in the Reuer or in a pitte preueli. and theen sett youre hauke a grete space of. vppon a mooƚƚ hiƚƚ or on the grownde. and crepe softeli towarde the fowle: from yowre hawke streght way and when ye come almost ther as the fowle lyeth. looke backewarde towarde the hawke. and with yowre hande or with yowre tabur styke: becke yowre hawke to come to you. and when she is on wyng. and comyth low bi the grounde. and is almost at yow. then smyte youre tabur. and cry huff. huff. huff and make the fowle to spryng. and with that noyse the fowle wil rise and the hawke wyƚƚ nym it.
¶ And now take hede. Iff yowre hawke nym the fowle at the fer side of the Ryuer or of the pitt from yow Then she sleeth the fowle at the fer Iutty and if she slee it vppon that side that ye ben on. as it may hape dyuerse times. Then ye shaƚƚ say she hath sleen the fowle at the Iutty ferry.
¶ Iff yowre hawke nym the fowle a lofte: ye shaƚƚ say she toke it at the mounte or at the souce.
¶ And if the fowle spryng not bot flee a long after the Reu̇ and the hawke nym it then. ye shaƚƚ say she slew it at the Raundon̄.

¶ Creepe.

And yowre hawke fleeth at or to the Creepe when ye haue yowre hawke on yowre fyst and crepe softely to the Ryuer or to the pit. and stelith softeli to the brynke therof. and then cry huff. and bi that meane Nym a fowle. Then it is slayn at the Crepe oder at the fer Iutty. or at the Iutty ferry. as a booue is sayde.

¶ And if it happyn as it dooth oftimes the fowle for fere of yowre hawke woƚƚ spryng and faƚƚ ayen in to the Ryuer. or the hawke sees hir. and so lie styƚƚ and dare not arise. ye shaƚƚ say then yowre hawke hath ennewed the fowle in to the Ryuer. ond so shaƚƚ ye say and ther be moo fowles in the Ryuer then thatt yowre hawke nymmyth if thay darenot arise for fere of yowre hawke

¶ A thefe.

Understonde ye that a Goshawke shulde not flie to any fowle of the Ryuer with bellis in no wise. and therfore a Goshawke is calde a theef.

¶ Querre.

And yowre hawke fleeth to the querre. when ther be in a stobuƚƚ tyme Sordes of mallardes in the felde and when she espith theym and commyth couerte her selfe. and flie preuyli vnder hedges or law bi the grownde. and nym oon of hem. or thay rise then ye shaƚƚ say that the fowle was slayn at the querre.

Merke this terme draw

Som folke mysuse this terme draw. and say that thayr hauke wiƚƚ draw to the Ryuer. And that terme draw is propurli assigned to that hawke that wiƚƚ slee a Roke or a Crow or a Reuyn: vppon a londe sittyng. and then it most be sayd that sich an hawke wiƚƚ draw weeƚƚ to a Rooke.

Nowe ẏe shall vnderstonde if a man will make an hawke to the querre in this maner he most do

Take a tame Malarde and set hym in a fayr playn. and let hym goo where he wiƚƚ. then take yowre hawke vppon yowre fist. and goo to that playn. and holde vp yowre hande a praty way of from the Malarde. and looke if the hawke can espie it. by hir awyn corage and if she haue fowude the fowle and desire to flee ther to. let hir slee it. and plymme weƚƚ vppon hir. and serue her so .ij. or .iij. tymes and then she is made to the quarre.

I haue knawyn gentylmen that whensoeuer and whersoeuer thay se any tame Dookes. and if theyr hawkys wolde desire to thaym. then thay wolde let flee to theym in coragyng theyr haukys to be weeƚƚ fleyng to the quarre an oder tyme.

A pratẏ craft to take an hawke that is brokẏn owt of mew. and all maner of fowlẏs that sẏt in trees if a man wẏll.

Looke where an hawke perchith for aƚƚ nyght: in any maner place. and softe and layserly clymbe to her with a sconce or a lanterne that hath bot oon light. in yowre hande and let the light be towarde the hawke so that she se not yowre face and ye may take hir by the leggys or oder wise as ye lyst. and in lyke wise aƚƚ other maner fowle.

Of hawkẏs Bellẏs.

The bellis that yowre hawke shaƚƚ wheer looke in any wise that thay be not to heuy ouer hir power to weyr. also that noon be heuyer then an other bot like of weyght. Looke also that thay be sonowre and weƚƚ sowndyng and shil and not both of oon sowne: bot that oon be a semytoyn vnder a noder. and that thay be hoole and not brokyn and specialli in the sowndyng place. For and thay be brokyn thay wyƚƚ sowne fuƚƚ dulli.
Off spare hawke bellis ther is chooce and lyttiƚƚ of charge of thaym: for ther beeth plenty.
¶ Bot for Goshawkes somtyme Bellis of Melen were calde the best. and thay be fuƚƚ goode for thay comunely be sownden with siluer and solde ther after. Bot ther be now vsed of Duchelande bellys: of a towne calde durdright. and thay be passing goode. for thay be wele sortid weƚƚ sownded. sonowre of Ryngyng in shilnes and passing weƚƚ lastyng.

¶ Here endyth the proceis of hawkyng. And now foloys the naamys of aƚƚ maner of hawkys &̄ to whom they belong.

¶ Theẏs haukes belong to an Emproure

Theys be the names of aƚƚ maner of hawkes. First an Egle. a Bawtere. a Melowne. The symplest of theis .iij wiƚƚ slee an Hynde calfe. a Fawn̄. a Roo a Kydde. an Elke. a Crane. a Bustarde a Storke. a Swan̄. a Fox in the playn grownde. And theis be not enlured. ne reclaymed. by cause that thay be so ponderowse to the perch portatiff. And theis .iij. by ther nature belong to an Emprowre.

¶ Theis hawkes belong to a kẏng.

Ther is a Gerfawken. a Terceƚƚ of a gerfauken. And theys belong to a kyng.

¶ For a prẏnce.

Ther is a Fawken gentiƚƚ. and a Terceƚƚ gentiƚƚ. and theys be for a prynce.

For a duke.

¶ Ther is a Fawken of the rock. And that is for a duke

For an Erle.

¶ Ther is a Fawken peregryne And that is for an Erle

¶ For a Baron.

Also ther is a Bastarde and that hauke is for a Baron

Hawkes for a knẏght

¶ Ther is a Sacre and a Sacret. And theis be for a Knyght.

Hawkis for a Squẏer.

¶ Ther is a Lanare and a Lanreƚƚ. And theys belong to a Squyer.

For a ladẏ

¶ Ther is a Merlyon. And that hawke is for a lady

An hawke for a ẏong man

¶ Ther is an Hoby. And that hauke is for a yong man And theys be hawkes of the towre: and ben both Ilurid to be calde and reclaymed

¶ And ẏit ther be moo kẏndis of hawkes

¶ Ther is a Goshawke. and that hauke is for a yeman
¶ Ther is a Terceƚƚ. And that is for a powere man.
¶ Ther is a Spare hawke. and he is an hawke for a prest
¶ Ther is a Muskyte. And he is for an holiwater clerke
And theis be of an oder maner kynde. for thay flie to Querre and to fer Iutty and to Iutty fferry.

¶ Explicit.

Lyke wise as ī the booke of hawkyng aforesayd are writyn and noted the termys of plesure belongyng to gentiƚƚ men hauyng delite therin. In thessame maner thys booke folowyng shewith: to sych gentiƚƚ personys the maner of huntyng for aƚƚ maner of beestys. wether thay be Beestys of venery. or of chace. or Rascaƚƚ. And also it shewith aƚƚ the termys cōuenyent as weƚƚ to the howndys as to the beestys a forsayd. And in certayn ther be many dyuerse of thaym. as it is declared in the booke folowyng.

Bestẏs of venerẏ.

Wheresoeuere ye fare by fryth or by feƚƚ

My dere chylde take hede how Tristram dooth you teƚƚ

How many maner beestys of venery ther were

Lystyn to yowre dame and she shaƚƚ yow lere

Fowre maner beestys of venery there are

The first of theym is the .hert. the secunde is the hare

The boore is oon of tho. the wolff and not oon moo

Bestẏs of the Chace.

¶ And where that ye cum in playne or in place

I shaƚƚ yow teƚƚ which be beestys of enchace

Oon of theym is the .Bucke. a nother is the Doo

The Fox and the Martron. and the wilde Roo

And ye shaƚƚ my dere chylde other beestys aƚƚ.

Where so ye hem fynde Rascaƚƚ ye shaƚƚ hem caƚƚ

In fryth or in feƚƚ: or in forest I yow teƚƚ.

Note here the aage of an hert.

¶ And for to speke of the hert iff ye wiƚƚ it lere

Ye shaƚƚ hym a .Calfe. caƚƚ at the fyrst yere

The secunde yere a .Broket. so shaƚƚ ye hym caƚƚ

The therde yere a .Spayad. lerneth thus aƚƚ

The fowrith yere a .Stagge. caƚƚ hym by any way

The fithe yere a .grete Stagge. youre dame bide yow say

The vi. yere caƚƚ ye him an .hert.

Doth so my childe wylis ye been in quart

To knaw the hede of an hert. & that is dẏuerse

¶ And of the horny that he then berith a bowte

The fyrst hede shaƚƚ be Iugett wyth owte

Ther in fyndyn wee suche dyuersite.

Natheles the .vi. yere euermoore at the leest

Thow shalt weƚƚ Iuge the perche of thessame beest

When he hath Awntelere with owt any lett

Ryaƚƚ and Surriaƚƚ also there Isett

And that in the toppe so when ye may hym keen

Then shaƚƚ ye caƚƚ hym forchyd an hert of tenne

And when he hath in the toppe .iij. of the selue

Then ye shaƚƚ caƚƚ hym trochid an hert of .xij.

And afterwarde in the toppe when ther .iiij. bene

Then shaƚƚ ye caƚƚ hym sommyd an hert of .xvi.

And from .iiij. forwarde watt so befaƚƚ

Be he neuer of so many ye shaƚƚ hym summed caƚƚ

Ryght of the nombre euyn that he is

Callith hym from .iiii. forth summed Iwys

Also haue ye sele an hert heded weele.

An Heerde. A Beve. A Sounder. A Route.

¶ My chylde callith herdys of hert and of hynde

And of Bucke and of doo where yo hem fynde

And a Beue of Roos what place thay be in

And a Sounder ye shaƚƚ of the wylde swyne

And a Rowte of wolues where thay passin inne

So shaƚƚ ye hem caƚƚ as many as thay bene

A Littill herde. A mẏdẏll heerd A grete heerd

¶ .xx. is a littyƚƚ herde though it be of hyndis

And .xl. is a mydyle herde to caƚƚ hym be kyndis

And .lxxx. is a grete herde caƚƚ. ye hem so

Be it hert be it hynde bucƚƚe or ellis doo

How ẏe shall saẏ a gret hert & not a fair & oder

¶ A grete hert when ye hym se so shaƚƚ ye hym caƚƚ

Bot neuermore a fayre hert for no thyng that may be faƚƚ

A grete hynde a grete bucke and a fayre doo

My sonnys where ye walke caƚƚ ye hem so

So ye shulde naame sich dere: and do as I yow lere

¶ what is a beuẏ of Roos grete or small

¶ And sex is a beue of Roos on a rawe

And .x. is a mydyƚƚ beuy fuƚƚ wele I it kawe

A grete beuy is .xij. when thay to gedre be

And so caƚƚ hem sonnys woere that ye hem se

The moore nombur than ywis: the gretter the beuy is

What is a Sounder of swẏne grete or small

¶ Twelfe make a Sounder of the wylde swyne

Xvi. a medyƚƚ Sounder what place thay be inne

A grete sounder of swyne .xx. ye shaƚƚ caƚƚ

Forr geet not this lession for thyng that may faƚƚ

Thynke what I say: my sonne nyght and day

Of the Roo huntẏng. brekẏng. and dressẏng

When ye hunt at the Roo then shaƚƚ ye say thoore

He crossies and tresones yowre howndys byfoore

A grete Roobucke ye caƚƚ hym not so

Bot a fayre Roobucke and a fayre doo

With the bowellis and with the bloode

Rewarde ye yowre howndes my sonnys so goode

¶ And eche foote ye shaƚƚ cutte in .iiij. I yow kenne

Take the bowellis and the bloode and do aƚƚ to gedre then

Yeuyth hit than to yowre howndys so

And moche the glaadder then thay wiƚƚ go

That to yowre howndes a rewarde is calt

For hit is eeten on the grownde and on the skynne dalte

¶ The Roo shaƚƚ be herdeled by veneri I weene

The .ij. forther legges the hede layde by twene

And take oon ender legge vp I yow pray

And that oder forder legge right as I yow say

vppon the oder forder legge booth ye hem pytte

And with that other forther legge vp ye hem knytte

Oon thys maner thus when ye haue wroght

Aƚƚ hoole to the kechen then hit shaƚƚ be broght

Saue that yowre howndes eete: the bowillis and the fete.

Now of thage & vndoẏng of the boore

¶ Now to speke of the boore the fyrst yere he is

A pygge of the Sounder called ale haue I blis

The secunde yere an hogge and so shaƚƚ he be

And an hoggestere when he is of yeris .iij.

And when he is of .iiij. yere a beore sheƚƚ he be

From the Sounder of the swyne then deꝑtiith he

A Synguler is he so: for a lone he wiƚƚ goo.

¶ when ye haue slayn the boore and wiƚƚ do hym right

Ye shaƚƚ vndo hym vnflayne when he shaƚƚ be dight

Xxx. bredys and .ij. of hym ye shaƚƚ make

By the law of venery as I dare vnder take

Thurgh yowre houndys by stryngth iff that he be dede

Thay shaƚƚ haue the bowyllis boyle with the brede

Cast vppon the grownde ther the boore was slayne

And that is calde a Rewarde so hunteris it sayne

vppon the erth so haue I blis: for that so eeten is

Now of the hare.

¶ Now for to speke of the hare my sonnys secureli

That beest kyng shaƚƚ be calde of aƚƚ venery

For aƚƚ the fayre spekyng and blawyng lerf sere

Commyth of sechyng and fyndyng of the hare

For my leif chylder I take it on honde

He is the meruellest beest that is in ony londe

For he fymaes and crotis and Roungeth euermoore

And beerith talow and gris: and a boue teeth hath be foore

And other while he is male: and so ye shaƚƚ hym fynde

And other while female and kyndelis by kynde

¶ And when he is female and kyndelis hym with in

In .iij. degrees he hem berith or he with hem twyn

Too Rough and .ij. smoth who wiƚƚ hem se

And ij. knottis also that kyndelis wiƚƚ be

When he is female so teƚƚ I my tale.

¶ The rewarde for howndẏs.

¶ When yowre houndis by strenath hath done her to dede

The hunter shaƚƚ rewarde hem then with the hede

With the shulderis and the sides and with the bowellis aƚƚ

And aƚƚ thyngꝭ with in the wombe saue onli the gaƚƚ

The paunche also: yeue hem noon of thoo.

Wich rewarde when oon the erth it is dalt.

With aƚƚ goode hunteris the .halow. it is calt

Then the loynes of the hare loke ye not forgete

Bot bryng hem to the kechyn for the lordis meete

And of this ilke hare speke we no mare.

Wiche beestes shall be flaẏne & wich stripte

¶ Now to speke of the bestes when thay be slayne

How many be strypte and how many be flayne

Aƚƚ that bere skyne and talow and Rounge leue me

Shaƚƚ be flayne safe the hare for he shaƚƚ stripte be

And aƚƚ that berith greece: and piles ther vppon

Euer shaƚƚ be strypte when thay be vndoon

On̄ theys maner play: thus ye shaƚƚ say.

Whiche beestis shall be reride with the lẏmer.

¶ My dere sonnys echeon now wiƚƚ I yow lere

How many maner beestys as with the lymere

Shaƚƚ be vpreryde in fryth or in felde

Booth the hert and the bucke and the boore so wilde

And aƚƚ other beestys that huntid shaƚƚ be

Shaƚƚ be sought and founde with Ratchis so fre

Say thus I yow tolde: my childer so bolde

The discreuẏng of a Bucke.

¶ And ye speke of the Bucke the fyrst yere he is

A fawne sowkyng on his dam say as I yow wis

The secunde yere a preket. the .iij. yere a sowreƚƚ

A sowre at the .iiij. yere the trowthe I yow teƚƚ

The .v. yere caƚƚ hym a Bucke of the fyrst hede

The .vi. yere caƚƚ hym a Bucke and do as I you rede

Of the hornẏs of a Bucke.

¶ The hornys of a grete Bucke or he so be

Most be summyd as I say herkenyth to me

Too braunchis first pawmyd he most haue

And .iiij. avauncers the soth iff ye wiƚƚ saue

And xxiiij. espelers and then ye may hym caƚƚ

Where so ye be a grete Bucke I teƚƚ yow aƚƚ

Of the Roobucke.

¶ And iff ye of the Roobucke wiƚƚ knaw thessame

The first yere he is a kyde soukyng on his dame

The secunde yere he is a gerle: and so be siche aƚƚ

The thirde yere an hemule loke ye hym caƚƚ

Robucke of the first hede he is at the iiij. yere

The .v. yere a Roobucke hym caƚƚ I yow lere

At saynt andrew day his hornys he wiƚƚ cast

In moore or in moos he hidyth hem fast

So that no man may hem sone fynde

Ellys in certayn he doos not his kynde

¶ At saynt Iamys day where so he go

Then shaƚƚ the Roobucke gendre with the Roo

And so boldely ther as ye durne

Then is he calde a Roobucke goyng in his turne

And iff ye may a Robucke sle with owt any fayle

And ye fynde that heue grece at his tayle

As sum Robuckys haue when ye hit fynde

Then shaƚƚ ye rere it as ye do of hert and of hynde

Also the Robucke as hit is weele kyde

At holyrode day he gooth to Ryde.

And vsith the bit: when he may gete hit

Now of the hert and of the hynde.

¶ Sonnys of the hert and the hynde lerne yit ye may

Ther thay draw to the herde at holi roode day

To the stepe then thay goon yche hote day at noon

Which stepe thay vsen my childer I yow say

Tiƚƚ hit be Myddesomere at the last way

The cause of the stepe is to weere hym fro the flee

Who so commyth to that place may se hit with his ighe

An other thyng thay vse my chylde also

The same seson of the yere to soyle to go

Of the criẏng of theẏs beestẏs.

¶ An hert belowys and a bucke gronys I fynde

And iche Roobucke certayne bellis by kynde

The noyes of theyes beestys thus ye shaƚƚ caƚƚ

For pride of theyre make thay vsen hit aƚƚ

Say chylde where ye goo: yowre dame taght you so

Merke well theẏs sesonẏs folowẏng.

¶ Tyme of grece begynnyth at mydsomer day

And tyƚƚ holi Roode day lastyth as I you say

¶ The seson of the fox fro the Natiuyte

Tyƚƚ the annunciacion of owre lady fre

¶ Seson of the Robucke at Ester shaƚƚ begynne

And tiƚƚ mychelmas lastith nygh or she blynne

¶ The seson of the Roo begynnyth at Michelmas

And hit shaƚƚ endure and last vntiƚƚ Candilmas

¶ At Michelmas begynnyth huntyng of the hare

And lastith tiƚƚ mydsomer ther nyƚƚ no man hit spare

¶ The seson of the wolfe is in iche cuntre

At the seson of the fox and euermore shaƚƚ be

¶ The seson of the boore is from the Natiuyte

Tiƚƚ the purification of owre lady so fre

For at the Natiuyte of owre lady swete

He may fynde where he goth vnder his feete

Booth in wodys and feldis corne and oder frute

When he after foode makyth any sute

Crabbys and acornys and nottis ther thay grow

Hawys and heeppes and other thyngꝭ ynow

That tiƚƚ the purification lastys as ye se

And makyth the Boore in seson to be

For while that frute may: last his time is neuer past

Of the huntẏng of the haare

Now to speke of the haare how aƚƚ shaƚƚ be wroght

When she shaƚƚ with houndes be foundyn and soght

The first worde to the houndis that the hunt shaƚƚ owt pit

Is at the keneƚƚ doore when he openys it

That aƚƚ may hym here: he shaƚƚ say arere.

For his howndes wolde cum to hastely

That is the first worde my sonne of venery

And when he hath couplyd his houndes ychoon

And is forth with hem to the felde goon

And when he has of cast his cowples at wiƚƚ

Then shaƚƚ he speke and say his howndes tiƚƚ

Hors de couple auaunt se auaunt twis so

And then So ho so ho. thries and no mo

And then say .Sa sa cy auaunt So how I you pray

And iff ye se yowre howndes haue good wiƚƚ to renne

And draw a waywarde fro yow say as I yow kenne

Here how amy. agayne hem caƚƚ so

Than .Sweff mon amy sweff. to make hem soft go

And iff any fynde of the haare ther he hath bene

And he hight Richer or Bemounde thus to hym bedene

Oyes a Bemounde le vaillant. and I shaƚƚ you avowe

Q^e quida tron̄ la cowarde on la court cowe

That Bemonde the worthe with owt any fayle

That wenyth to fynde the coward with the short tayle

¶ And iff ye se where the haare at pasture hath bene

Iff hit be in the tyme of the corne grene

And iff yowre houndes chace weeƚƚ at yowre wiƚƚ

Then .iij. motis shaƚƚ ye blaw booth lowde and shiƚƚ

There oon and there an other there be pasturyde has

Then say .illoques illoques in thessame place

So say to hem in kynde: vnto tyme that ye hir fynde

¶ And then cast a signe aƚƚ the feld abowte

To se at hir pasture where she hath be in or owte

Oder at hir forme for gladli to be she is not lefe

Ther she hath pasturid in tyme of Relefe

And any hounde fynd or musyng of hir mace

Ther as she hath byne and is goon owt of that place

Ha sy touz cy est yll. so shaƚƚ ye say

venez auez so how sa. also lowde as ye may

Sa cy ad este so how. after that

Sa sa cy auaunt. and therof be not lat

And when ye se vnto the playne her at the last

In felde or in errabuƚƚ londe: or in to the wode past

And yowre hounde wiƚƚ fynde of her ther then

Say .la douce amy la est a. and do as I yow ken

That is to say swete frende: ther is he come low

For to dry here. and ther with ye shaƚƚ say so how

Illoques ey douce ey vaylaunt so how so how. then twy

Thus may yē now dere sonnys lerne of venery

And when ye come ther as ye trow he wiƚƚ dweƚƚ

And so semeth to yow weƚƚ then say as I yow teƚƚ

La douce la est a venuz. for to dweƚƚ thoore

And therwith .iij. sohow. say ye no moore

And iff it semes woƚƚ yow to fynde aƚƚ in fere

And wenen so to do then say .douce how here how here

How here douce how here how here he sittys

So shaƚƚ ye say my chyldre and for no thyng lettyz

Aƚƚ maner bestys that euer chasede wore

Haue oon maner of worde .so how. and no more

To fulfiƚƚ or vnfiƚƚ eche maner of chaas

The hunt euermoore in his mowth that worde he haas

And iff yowre houndys at a chase renne ther ye hunt

And the beest begynne to renne as herttis be wont

Or for to hanylon as doos the fox with his gyle

Or for to crosse as the Roo dooth oder while

Oder dweƚƚ so that yowre honndys cannot owte go

Then shaƚƚ ye say. hoo sa amy sa sa

A complex sa arere so how. sich is the play

And sohow as moch is as sa how to say

Bot for .sohow is short in speche when it is brought

Therfore say we .sohow bot sa how say we noght

And iff yowre houndis chase at hert or at haare

And thay renne at defaute thus ye shaƚƚ say thare

Icy sohow assayne assayne ston hoho