The boke of Saint Albans : $b containing treatises on hawking, hunting, and cote armourBerners, Juliana
History
The boke of Saint Albans : $b containing treatises on hawking, hunting, and cote armour
Berners, Juliana
Falconry -- Early works to 1800; Heraldry -- Early works to 1800; Hunting -- Early works to 1800
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.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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