TURBERVILLE, George [with] GASCOIGNE, George

£25,000 · Offered by Sokol Books

Second editions, of these contemporary classics on the most favoured pastime of Tudor and Stuart England, two of the most attractively illustrated works of the period. They were first printed in 1575; in this edn. the figure of James has been substituted for Elizabeth's in the full-page hunting scenes. The two ll. of music, 'The Measures for Blowing the Horn', were intended to be taken out and used in the field, and are often missing. The works constitute an encyclopaedia of practical information on the care of, and hunting with, hounds and birds, and ideally, though they by no means always are, should be found together. Both the text and the woodcuts of the 2nd work are adapted from Du Fouilloux's 'La Venerie' (1560). In Shakespeare s day, falconry and hawking were elite, expensive sports pursued by the upper classes. This beautifully illustrated manual, aimed at Noblemen and Gentlemen , offers advice on how to train hawks and conduct oneself in exclusive hunting circles. Turberville makes fascinating use of strongly gendered language to describe the process of training birds, especially female hawks or haggards . In his instructions on how to make a Falcon fly (pp. 79 80) and how to make flight for a Haggard (pp. 151 52), the relationship between man and hawk seems based on subordination, but also the need for care and cherishing to make her do his will (p. 152). The (male) human tames the wild (female) hawk by hooding her and controlling her food. But he should use hir gen

• Binding: Hardcover

Found via Rare Books Intel, a search across rare-book dealers, auction houses and marketplaces worldwide.