KITES AND BUZZARDS 159 merits, and was flown at its proper quarry. As for the canaille of the tribe raptores-kites, kestrels, buzzards, henharriers, and such like they found no place in the hawkhouse, and were regarded by the falconer as next of kin to barndoor owl, of whom a portent was recorded: A falcon towering in her pride of place, Was by a mousing owl hawk'd at and kill'd. Macbeth, ii. 4. 12. These were what Turbervile calls 'base bastardly refuse hawks, which are somewhat in name, and nothing in deed.' Their names were often on the lips of the falconer, but only as terms of reproach. To 'play the kite,' or to use 'vile buzardly parts' bespeaks a worthless hawk (according to Turbervile), and Shakespeare had a true falconer's contempt for kites That bate and beat and will not be obedient,' 1 and also for the worthless kestrel, or staniel. This hawk was sometimes trained. But it was lacking in courage, and was allotted by the old writers to the knave or servant. 'He's a coward and a coystril that will not drink to my niece till his brains turn o' the toe like a parish top," says Sir Toby Belch. With what wing the staniel checks at it,'3 he exclaims, as Malvolio, with the fatuity of this ignoble hawk, catches at the sham letter laid in his way. As the eagle is the noblest, so the kite or puttock is the basest of his tribe. I chose an eagle,' says Imogen, and did avoid a puttock.' And Hastings says of Clarence, sent to the Tower, while Richard is at large : 4 More pity that the eagle should be mew'd, While kites and buzzards prey at liberty. Rich. III. i. 1. 132. The hawks having been visited and their points dis1 Tam. of Shrew, iv. 1. 198. 2 Twelfth N. i. 3. 42. Mr. Freeman (How I became a Falconer) tells of early experiences with a kestrel which he mistook for a sparrowhawk. 'The kestrel disappointed me very much, for he was frightened out of his wits at a live starling, and would not always kill a sparrow.' Perhaps some such experience suggested the words 'a coward and a kestrel.' Ibid. ii. 5. 124. • Cymb. i. 1. 139. cussed, the company bethought them of Clement Perkes's newly-taken hawk, which had been delivered by his messenger into the falconer's hands. They passed from the court-yard to the hawk-house. This was a long covered shed where the hawks were sheltered at night. Here, too, they were set down to mew, or moult, when the season came round, from which use buildings of this kind derived their name of 'mews.' The Royal mews by St. Martin's Lane became the Royal stables, and the name was borrowed by humbler localities, with no clear appreciation of the original meaning or history of the word. In a room at the end of the mews the falconer was hard at work, surrounded by the implements of his art. 'Every good falconer,' says Turbervile, 'should have his imping needles at hand.' The loss of a principal feather from a falcon's wing seriously interfered with her high-flying powers. And as the falconer would have his falcon fly the highest pitch, it was part of his art to repair occasional mishaps by the process known as 'imping.' The stump of the broken feather was joined either to the separated fragment, or to a similar feather, of which the falconer was careful to have good store. This was commonly effected by inserting into the pith of both feathers a slender piece of iron, called an 'imping needle,' steeped in brine, which forthwith rusted, and incorporated both parts into a single feather. To effect this neatly was one of the triumphs of the falconer's art; What finer feate than so to ympe a feather as in vew A man should sweare it were the olde, and not set on anew? 1 Thus would the falconer restore his hawk's injured wing, and when the statesman would redeem the broken fortunes of his country, he urged his hearers to Imp out our drooping country's broken wing, And make high majesty look like itself. Rich. II. ii. 1. 292. 'Turbervile. IMPING AND SEELING 161 The falconer and the statesman would level up. But it is ever the desire of the envious to level down to their own standard those whom natural advantages and training have enabled to fly a higher pitch. Thus, when the tribunes Flavius and Marullus forbade that images should be decked with Cæsar's trophies, and drove from the streets the crowds who assembled to rejoice in his triumph, they reasoned thus: These growing feathers pluck'd from Cæsar's wing' Will make him fly an ordinary pitch, Who else would soar above the view of men And keep us all in servile fearfulness. Jul. Cæs. i. 1. 77. The company found the falconer busily engaged in seeling the eyes of the new arrival. It was then the custom to close the eyes of a newly-taken hawk until she had become accustomed to the hood, by drawing through the eyelids a fine silken thread. Desdemona, said Iago, could give out such a seeming, To seel her father's eyes up close as oak. Othello, iii. 3. 210.2 The poor bird was completely blindfolded. I am sorry to say that the company laughed merrily at her confusion as she staggered and strutted along the floor, unable to find her perch, or to save herself from destruction without her keeper's helping hand; and as I read of the scene, I understood what Antony meant when he said: The wise gods seel our eyes; In our own filth drop our clear judgements; make us To our confusion. Ant. and Cleo. iii. 13. 112. And yet, did the bird but know it, this seeling and these blind endeavours were but steps in the course of training which was to convert the profitless haggard into the noble falcon, reclaimed from ill conditions, and fitted for her master's use. 1 Cf. Sonnet lxxviii. 6. 2 Cf. Othello, i. 3. 270. M The hawks having been visited, their achievements recounted, and their points discussed, the party returned to the house. Petre courteously invited his visitors to stay for supper. But Silence must needs return to his father's house, whither some company had been bidden, and the stranger begged to be excused. So they mounted their horses and rode together homewards across the wolds, These high wild hills and rough uneven ways Draw out our miles, and make them wearisome; And yet your fair discourse hath been as sugar, Making the hard way sweet and delectable. King Richard 11. AND after some converse concerning matters of grave moment touching our several affairs (whereof more anon), we fell to speak of Cotswold and of Arden, and of the sports and pastimes which may be there enjoyed in their seasons, and so merrily homewards.' Thus the diarist begins the story of his ride across Cotswold. The convenient time for writing of graver matters seems never to have come, and what they were is left to conjecture. You may, therefore, not hold it proven that a ride homeward with William Silence was the occasion of the resolve that robbed Stratford-on-Avon of a sporting attorney to give Shakespeare to the world. This resolve, however, must have been made at some time, and under some circumstances; and what is more likely to have caused it than chance association with a visitor from the great world, whose conversation unfolded to the eyes of home-bred youth visions of the boundless possibilities offered by London to genius and daring? The humours of the town; the newsmongers and diners with good Duke Humphrey at Paul's; the playhouse |