[Illustration:  Fig. 150.—­Varlets of Falconry.—­Fac-simile of a Miniature in the Manuscript of “Livre du Roy Modus” (Fourteenth Century).]

A well-trained falcon was a bird of great value, and was the finest present that could be made to a lady, to a nobleman, or to the King himself, by any one who had received a favour.  For instance, the King of France received six birds from the Abbot of St. Hubert as a token of gratitude for the protection granted by him to the abbey.  The King of Denmark sent him several as a gracious offering in the month of April; the Grand Master of Malta in the month of May.  At court, in those days, the reception of falcons either in public or in private was a great business, and the first trial of any new birds formed a topic of conversation among the courtiers for some time after.

The arrival at court of a hawk-dealer from some distant country was also a great event.  It is said that Louis XI. gave orders that watch should be kept night and day to seize any falcons consigned to the Duke of Brittany from Turkey.  The plan succeeded, and the birds thus stolen were brought to the King, who exclaimed, “By our holy Lady of Clery! what will the Duke Francis and his Bretons do?  They will be very angry at the good trick I have played them.”

European princes vied with each other in extravagance as regards falconry; but this was nothing in comparison to the magnificence displayed in oriental establishments.  The Count de Nevers, son of Philip the Bold, Duke of Burgundy, having been made prisoner at the battle of Nicopolis, was presented to the Sultan Bajazet, who showed him his hunting establishment consisting of seven thousand falconers and as many huntsmen.  The Duke of Burgundy, on hearing this, sent twelve white hawks, which were very scarce birds, as a present to Bajazet.  The Sultan was so pleased with them that he sent him back his son in exchange.

[Illustration:  Fig. 151.—­“How to train a New Falcon.”—­Fac-simile of a Miniature in the Manuscript of “Livre du Roy Modus” (Fourteenth Century).]

The “Livre du Roy Modus” gives the most minute and curious details on the noble science of hawking.  For instance, it tells us that the nobility of the falcon was held in such respect that their utensils, trappings, or feeding-dishes were never used for other birds.  The glove on which they were accustomed to alight was frequently elaborately embroidered in gold, and was never used except for birds of their own species.  In the private establishments the leather hoods, which were put on their heads to prevent them seeing, were embroidered with gold and pearls and surmounted with the feathers of birds of paradise.  Each bird wore on his legs two little bells with his owner’s crest upon them; the noise made by these was very distinct, and could be heard even when the bird was too high in the air to be seen, for they were not made to sound in unison; they generally came from Italy, Milan especially being