Hawk, Rochester Bestiary, c.1230
The medieval bestiary records that man can train hawks to fly to their hand. They are shut away to make them tame and while they are shut up they lose their feathers and then grow new ones. When they are strong enough they are set free but they will have thin strips of leather tied to their feet to stop them flying away. When released they are carried on the left hand and fly to the right to look for prey (Barber 2008).
Transcription
Translation
ungulis. virtutem maiorem in minori corpo-
re gestans. et dicitur ab accipiendo et a capien-
do. Est autem avis rapiendis aliis avibus avida. ac-
cipiter enim dicitur. id est raptor. Unde et paulus
dicit. Sustinetis enim si quis accipit vos. Un enim
diceret. si quis rapit; dixit. Si quis accipit. hec
avis fera est; sed mansuescit. et rapinam cum
hominiubs operatur. Fertur autem circa pullos su-
os impius esse. Nam dum viderit eos posse temp-
tare volatus; nullas eis prebet escas. sed verbe-
rat pennis. et a nido precipitat. atque a tenero;
compellit ad predam. ne forte adulti pigrescant.
ne solvantur delitiis. ne marcescant otio.
ne discant cibum magis expectare; quam que-
rere. Accipiter qui mansuescit et cum hominibus
rapinam operatur; est qui mansuete vivere(added) videtur;
set cum rapacibus et potentibus et avaris rape-
re nititur. Unde in levitico accipiter iuxta
genus suum inter aves inmundas reputatur.
A hawk is a bird more armed in mind; than hooves, bearing greater power in a smaller body, and is said from receiving and from catching. Now the bird is greedy for raping other birds, for it is called a hawk, that is, a raptor. Hence he says a little. For you will stand up if someone accepts you. For one would say, if someone steals; he said. If anyone takes it, this is a wild bird; but he calms down, and commits robbery with the men. But it is said that he is wicked around his young. For as long as he sees that they can try flights; He gives them no food, but beats them with feathers, and makes them fall from the nest, and from the nest; he urges them to prey, lest perhaps the grown-ups become lazy, lest they be paid for pleasures, lest they languish in idleness, lest they learn to wait longer for food; than to complain. A hawk that tames and preys upon men; there is one who seems to live meekly; set with rapacious and powerful and greedy rapists. Hence in Leviticus the hawk is considered among the unclean birds according to its kind.
vita in terrenis lucris; imitandus non est.
Et bene dicit iuxta genus suum. quia alietus qui
dicitur gallice hobel. vel falco qui incurvos
habet digitos. et omnes huiusmodi aves quibus
alie aves capriuntur; inmunde sunt sed legem.
For the contemplative whose lesson is in heaven, and life in earthly gains; it is not to be imitated. And he says well according to his kind, because the bird which is called in French the hobel, or the hawk which has crooked fingers, and all such birds by which other birds are caught, are unclean but the law.